Long Shadows Over Mahora
by Toratchi888
Summary: The Negi-gumi is attacked on the very grounds of Mahora; Negi is beaten to within an inch of his life, and discord is sown amongst them. However, in their dark hour, an old acquiantance/foe comes to them from beyond the grim, dark veil of space and time.
1. A Dark Afternoon

**Author's Note:** Hello (again) everyone! For those who haven't read LSOM before, this is my first published fanfiction. There exist notes at the end of most every chapter to explain certain aspects of the story.

For those who have read LSOM, I've begun revising the story; hope it's even better the second (third, etc.) time around!

**Timeline:** This is set as an interlude between Vols. 18 and 19, so if you know what events happened there, you're okay. If not... well, there may be a few spoilers, but essentially this is an Alt-Timeline; it disregards what happens from Vol. 20 onward.

I almost had an aneurysm when I realized my dates were WAY off; this happens in July, which is somewhat open to interpretation as far as the manga's events. Ignore any and all references to August unless they are very specific; I will correct the dates.

As well, if you are interested in events influencing LSOM, I have begun work on another fanfic, titled Dark Evangel (though it is far from complete).

Please enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER:** Negima and everything that goes along with it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Ken Akamatsu (who made it) and everyone else (who got a slice of the pie). I stand in no way to profit from my work (or his). Though I wish I could.

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**Long Shadows Over Mahora**

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Chapter One: A Dark Afternoon

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_The falling sun throws long shadows over Mahora's campus, staining windows and clouds alike a fiery orange. It creeps through the campus's southern plaza, where an ancient sundial, taller than all but the tallest of men, stands like a watchtower overlooking the square. The sun's rays strike the _gnomon_; its shadow lands on the dial plane below, showing the time to be 6:30._

_A cool wind sweeps through the plaza, scattering leaves and dried grass. Though hardly halfway through July, the day had been unusually cool, and now all the more so with the strangely-lowering sun and thin bank of clouds in the west. The boughs of the trees shake in the wind, pulling back briefly to reveal the silhouette of a man in their shade. He is tall like a westerner, wearing a long brown trench coat—the sleeves of which come down just short of his wrists—dark brown leather gloves, and a brown fedora, beneath which dark sunglasses hide his eyes. _

_It is impossible to tell his age, given that his features are so well concealed, but one would guess that he is older, not younger: small wrinkles crinkle the corners of his eyes and mouth, and his close-cropped hair has turned a preternatural grey, but no stoop or weakness of age mars his straight-backed stance. Sighing to himself, he turns and melts into the shadows._

* * *

"—gi—" "—hurt bad—" "—die…?" "—know soon—"

Voices. A low gaggle of female voices surrounded him. His head pounded; whether from pain or just his pulse he couldn't fathom. His body ached: A dull throbbing in his abdominal region, a twitching in his arm, and a general, pervasive fire in his bones.

"Negi… Negi…! NEGI!"

"WHAT?!" Negi bolted upright, eyes flying open. At least half-a-dozen girls leapt back in shock; his scream must have startled them. It certainly startled him, and he was the one who had made it! Loud beeps from the heart monitor at his bedside intensified as his pulse raced in shock.

"Oh, thank _GOOOOOOOOOOD!_" A redheaded figure fairly launched herself on Negi, the bells in her hair jangling. "Negi, you're alive! Thank-God-thank-God-thank-God-thank-God—"

"ASUNA!" came the whip-like crack of another voice. Asuna—bells tinkling—paused for a moment from ruffling Negi's hair to turn to the source of the reproach. Setsuna, standing next to the wall, was burning a hole through the redhead with her stare, eyes narrowed reprovingly. "I know you are worried about him, Asuna-san, as we all are, but he's still an invalid, and you have to be gentle with him!"

Negi looked between Asuna, who still had his head cradled in his arms, to Setsuna. "Um, girls, I don't want you to fight over me. And Asuna-san, you needn't fret over me; I'm quite all right—"

"Pfft!" Asuna chuckled. "Don't give me that, you brat! You're ten; you think you can take care of yourself, but you'd be in big trouble without me or—"

Setsuna slammed her hand down on the bedside table, her face turning pink with fury. "_Asuna!_" Setsuna hissed, her voice dripping with anger, "That's enough already. Leave him be!"

Asuna's voice caught in her throat, coming out instead as a hiss from her nostrils. Normally quiet and unassuming—except when she was engaged in a heated battle—Setsuna was the model of obedient protector, serving and protecting her mistress Konoka with her life. However, her eyes flashed angrily, and Asuna dared not provoke the Shinmei swordswoman further.

Swallowing whatever reply she might have made, Asuna turned with serious eyes to Negi again. "Setsuna-san is right. I'm sorry, Negi."

Negi blinked slowly, shaking his head slightly as through to clear it. "No need… I'm all right. Really, Asuna-san, you needn't bother about me so much. I'll be all right."

Asuna's eyes fluttered perplexedly. "Are you for real, kid? You sound like you think I don't care what happens to you. What's with your attitude?"

"Ah, I… what? No, Asuna-san, it's just… I don't want to be a bother to you…" Negi sputtered. Asuna shook her head incredulously.

"'Don't want to be a _bother_?' What the hell?! You've been a bother to me since you first showed up at Mahora, and _now_ you think that you're going to stop? Or that I'm going to stop bothering with _you_? Where in the world are you getting this nonsense from—?"

"Asuna, I'm not going to tell you again—" Setsuna started.

"Girls, please!" Negi squeaked, his youthful voice cracking slightly in trepidation.. "Would someone please, just… tell me what happened?"

Squinting—his glasses were on the table next to the bed, having miraculously avoided being either crushed or sent to the floor by the force of Setsuna's earlier wrath—he looked into the worried faces that surrounded him, clustered for the most part around his bed. Asuna sat at his bedside. Beside her, Konoka looked on, fretting and worried. Setsuna leaned against the wall next to his bed, her sword Yūnagi propped up beside her. She was standing as casually as she could, but her eyes still smouldered, heavy with anger against Asuna.

On Setsuna's far side was the window, set in the opposite wall. It faced west, as evidenced by the rays of the setting sun flaring through it, turning everything around them to a fiery orange. Negi's eyes watered, and Setsuna—noticing his discomfort—moved to draw the blinds. Another hand beat her to it: Nodoka's. The young librarian dropped the blinds smoothly, then moved away from the window, standing shyly by herself.

"Is that… better, sensei?" Nodoka asked timidly. Normally, Nodoka was extremely shy except around her good friends, and her love of books—as well as the broad knowledge of rare facts that came from reading—earned her the nickname "Bookstore Girl". However, she had slowly begun to develop a relationship with Negi, a friendship based on mutual respect that was blossoming into something more. And as a "British gentleman" (or so he tried to be), while Negi always had a kind word for all of his students, he made an extra effort to be nice to Nodoka, whose timidity was fading away bit by bit under Negi's thoughtful attention.

Which is why it surprised her when he nodded curtly to her and placed a hand to his head, as in pain, a very small acknowledgement if any of the small favour she did him. Her mouth formed a small "O" of surprise, and she hid her eyes behind her bangs, a little hurt that he had brushed her off when normally he would have been pleasantly grateful.

A soft "humph" came from the right side of his bed. Negi felt a small shiver run down his spine, and everyone else in sight tensed ever so slightly. The voice spoke, a soft, sweet, but evil voice.

"'What happened?', you ask? You did something incredibly stupid—again—and equally incredible, you lived to fight another day, bōya. You remind me so much of your father that way…"

Negi turned to face the speaker, the one and only Evangeline A.K. McDowell. Seated in a chair (_Probably the only chair in the room and she takes it_, thought Negi in spite of himself) on the other side of his bed from Asuna, her body between him and the door, she lounged in the shadows, sounding for the most part bored and annoyed (as usual), only that her voice held something else, something Negi could not immediately identify. It was… fear?

Evangeline smiled crookedly. "Or is it, perhaps, you fight to live another day?"

Setsuna grimaced. "Eva-san, while perhaps poetic, your turn of phrase is out of place here—"

"Silence, you!" Eva barked. "I don't really care if you think my turn of phrase is inappropriate. And even if it is, what are you going to do about it?"

Setsuna, realizing that Eva was not to be trifled with at _just_ this moment, bowed her head slightly and turned to stare at the wall opposite her. Eva sniffed slightly, acknowledging Setsuna's tact.

"Um… Master… Evangeline-san…" Negi began timidly.

"Ugh, what is it, bōya?" Given her tone of voice, Eva sounded for all the world that she would fairly slap the taste out of Negi's mouth if his next question was as naïve or stupid as she suspected it would be. Something along the lines of "What happened?", "Is everyone all right?", "Who attacked us?", or "Why are you here, Master?" would certainly qualify.

Realizing that this was what he was about to do, Negi swallowed again, painfully, choosing to ask a different question. "Um… What… Who saved my life?"

Eva blinked, then smirked, also realizing what Negi's question might have been and amused that he had diverted smoothly. "Oh, you don't believe it was the miracle of modern med'cine, bōya?" she asked mockingly, switching to English briefly just to hear her lilting British accent. She then returned to Japanese. "No, it was Little Miss Konoka over there," she said dismissively, "you can thank her."

"Ah, well… I… I guess I helped…" Konoka stuttered, unusually nervous and subdued, which only caused Negi's confusion to increase. "I mean… I used my pactio, but you were… were…"

Negi turned, squinting, to look at Konoka. Noticing his discomfort, Setsuna picked up the young boy teacher's spectacles and passed them to him discreetly with a soft "Here, sensei". Flicking an annoyed look at Evangeline—who seemed not to notice—Setsuna once again leaned against the wall.

"Thank you, Setsuna-san." Negi slipped them into place on the bridge of his nose. Able to see again, Negi again looked to Konoka.

"Konoka-san, you seem very tense. It's quite unlike you, and I can't imagine why. You've helped us out a great deal with your pactio power, and your skills are to be commended."

Small tears formed at the corners of Konoka's eyes. Negi was flustered; he didn't know what to do. He had never seen Konoka so worked up before.

"Oh, no. Now you've done it, brat Negi!" Asuna wrapped her arms around her friend and tugged her gently, raising her up and leading her out the door. "C'mon, Konoka. Let's get you a glass of water…"

Negi watched them leave, perplexed. "What is wrong with Konoka-san—Makie-san! You were here the whole time, too?!"

Sasaki Makie, the cute but clueless gymnast of 3-A, sat in the only other chair in the room, on the opposite wall across from Evangeline, next to the closet toilet. Hands on her knees, she tried to smile, but far from registering her usual sheepishness, her face showed uncharacteristic guilt, as through she had committed a great crime rather than any simple misdeed.

"Um, hi, Negi-sensei…" she greeted him timidly, shrinking in her seat as though he would inflict some punishment on her.

"Makie-san… How… How did you get involved in… this?"

Setsuna coughed politely. "I think I can answer that, Negi-sensei. Unless Eva-san—"

"What?" Evangeline snapped back, her British accent laced with scorn. "You want me to go to all the trouble of spelling out to the bōya how stupid he was? I have to do it at least thrice daily; he won't listen to me anymore. You do it."

"Very well." Setsuna's eyes narrowed briefly before she made her way to Negi's bedside. Kneeling where Asuna and Konoka had been earlier, Setsuna began. She spoke with clipped efficiency; she might as well be delivering a report to Eishun or Dean Konoe, the powerful heads of the Konoe family and Konoka's father and maternal grandfather, and also her bosses.

"At approximately 4:00p.m. today, as we were returning to the dorms from magical training with you, Negi-sensei, there was an unusual spike in magical energy from within the campus. Considering the strength of the barriers around Mahora, only something of great power would be able to get through the wards." She paused, and Negi—with nothing to ask or add—nodded that she might continue.

"Thinking it prudent to request backup, I requested that Kotarō—who had joined us just as his patrol shift ended—go as quickly as he could to locate other members of the patrols, such as Mana, Kaede, or even Kū Fei, as well as send word to Takahata-sensei or the Dean. Naturally, Kotarō did not wish to leave—"

"Bah!" Evangeline spat. "The mongrel has no sense. His only concern was not looking weak in front of you and the bōya, not about whether it was strategic to alert his allies to the situation. What a foolish mutt…"

Setsuna stirred, frowning. Her hands tightened ever so slightly where they rested on her knees, ruffling her skirt and coat. The slight sound was not lost on Evangeline's sharp hearing, and she smirked. She understood that Setsuna was growing tired of the constant jibes towards Negi and his friends, especially Kotarō, who was a _han'yō_ (half-demon) like Setsuna. One might imagine Eva, who as a vampire and outcast herself, to have at least some sympathy. _Not_.

Setsuna held her tongue, however. Evangeline was a powerful sorceress and vampire over five centuries older than her, despite having the appearance (and manner of dress) of a ten-year-old Goth-Loli. As earlier, she decided that tact and prudence would avail her better than an angry retort.

She continued, "With Kotarō gone, I felt it would be safe to have Yue and Nodoka return to the dorms. Neither wished to be parted from you,"—here Nodoka turned away, hiding her face in the wall as she blushed a bit—"but I assured them that, if they would not do it for their own safety, then at least they too could try to find other members of the patrol. Nodoka wished to remain regardless—having convinced you that her artefact might come in handy—but Yue decided that her services would be better suited to finding other patrollers, since her own skill in magic is still limited, and she would merely hamper our efforts. This of course was Yue's own line of logic."

"Of course," Negi murmured. _That's Yue-san for you_, he thought, _always taking the most logical route_. "What happened after that, Setsuna-san?"

Eva sniffed again, loudly. _Simple child_, she thought. _Has to have everything laid out in front of him…_

Setsuna ignored her. "We decided that, due to the unknown nature of our opponent, we could not risk engaging him face-to-face. Rather, we would sneak around our quarry and observe from a distance."

"We found him in the southernmost campus plaza, hiding in the big trees. He was concentrating, casting some kind of magic spell I think, because there was a huge blue magic circle around him. I mean, it must have been at least three metres across, and had a lot of complicated patterns."

"A huge… magic circle?" Negi frowned. "What could he have been doing…? Surely such a big concentration of magical energy would be easily noticed…?"

Setsuna shifted, casting her eyes down. She had wondered the same, and didn't like the possible answers one bit. "Ah, well… Maybe he had just started. Such a complicated spell would have to take time. At any rate, we tried to sneak up on him, but the second we got within fifteen metres of him, he vanished. He has very keen senses."

"Or, more likely, Sakurazaki, he had some sort of barrier surrounding his little magical garden party to warn him of any unwanted guests." Eva sneered across the bed at Setsuna, then waved a hand dismissively. "Whichever you prefer."

Setsuna's eyebrow twitched. She was nearing the limit of her tolerance for Eva's rudeness. When she spoke next, her tone was brittle.

"He may very well have had a barrier; it is quite likely. As with a number of such barriers, they tend to be 'invisible' to all but the most sensitive individuals. At any rate, he disappeared, and the magic circle seemed to sink into the ground, like water soaking into thirsty soil. When he disappeared, he left no trace of himself; we couldn't sense him.

"He reappeared behind us, and we were forced to scatter and regroup. Luckily, Asuna-san grabbed Nodoka-san and called her artefact, and managed to block his strike…

"He said nothing, but he just _flicked his fingers_ as though he was shaking water off his hand, and this… magical rain started to fall. It wasn't wet, but when it hit the ground it sizzled and got sucked up, just like the magic circle from before. I couldn't believe the energy that built up, and so quickly! It was coming off like a heat wave."

Setsuna faced Negi and looked him straight in the eye. "Negi-sensei, if you know the expression 'like a ticking time-bomb', this is exactly how it felt. I think everyone realized that something big was going to happen. At the same time, he engaged us. You and I fought him, but he outmanoeuvred us at every turn. We got pretty beat up. And then Nodoka started crying out…"

Negi turned to Nodoka, who was still blushing, but also looked a bit scared.

"What happened, Nodoka-san?" asked Negi gently. His gaze was calm and level, reassuring; Nodoka didn't look so scared.

"I… I felt the power in the ground… reach a peak. I knew… he was going to blow us up… using the magic power in the ground, from the rain," she said, her voice not much more than a whisper. "I was so scared…"

Setsuna nodded. "It's true. Everyone—even Asuna-san—could feel the energy building, just ready to burst. While I know Asuna-san has the magic-cancel ability, I doubt that could have saved us in that situation. So you decided that I would have to work my barrier, while you tried to hold him off, and Asuna-san would protect me and Nodoka-san while I focused on the spell."

Negi blinked. "I fought him? I don't recall… Forgive me, Setsuna-san, but… I don't remember any of this…"

Setsuna frowned, and Nodoka looked frightened again. Eva snorted. "It's no great bloody mystery why, boy. You took one too many blows to the head; end of story. _Duh_. That's _part_ of the reason you're _in_ the hospital."

Negi touched the back of his head with his fingers. He did feel a dull ache still, especially in the region of his neck. "Yes… I see. Please continue, Setsuna-san."

Setsuna breathed in and then out softly, somewhere between a sniff and a sigh. "It was… difficult to formulate the barrier. Though I have practiced it and done it many times before, it requires my utmost concentration… Negi-sensei, it was so difficult to watch you face him alone… I know you have faced some powerful adversaries before. Graf Wilhelm, the white-haired boy Fate…" She paused, her voice catching. Making a harrumphing sound in her throat, she resumed.

"You put up a valiant effort, sensei. Unfortunately, you could not keep him away for long. He… He broke through… and attempted to strike us down. He came right for me; I think he knew what I was up to. However, Asuna-san was quick-thinking, and she managed to deflect the enemy's attack. Thwarted, the enemy turned his attention to you again, and… he very nearly…"

Setsuna turned away, unwilling to say more. Startled, Negi turned from Setsuna to Nodoka—who also turned away—to Evangeline, who shook her head in disgust.

Setsuna resumed, looking at the wall. "At that moment, Kaede-san showed up and managed to rescue you. Bless her and her _shundō_… She use the doppelganger technique to buy just a moment's time, and slipped over to where we were. She told us that she had forbidden Kotarō from rejoining us; hothead that he is, he would have probably gotten hurt. Turns out she was right…

"I completed the Barrier of the Four Gods but a moment before the world erupted. Negi-sensei… I have never felt such power. The whole sky seemed to light up with an eerie blue-white blaze. The earth shook. All around us, flames erupted and spewed forth from the ground, and a column of fire engulfed us. Not only that, but our opponent struck against the barrier with a blazing stream of fire, like some kind of magical flamethrower. It was a devastating blow; I doubt anyone could have survived that if it hit them. There was just so much magical energy, the barrier began to crack. Never have I seen such a thing…"

Evangeline struck the bed railing with her palm, denting it though sheer brute force; Makie jumped up in her seat. "Setsuna, you dolt. You think that, just because the name of your technique is 'Absolute Protect', that it is, indeed, absolute protection? It is _chi_, harnessed by you and used to block and absorb attacks. It absorbed too much; it reached its breaking point, and it broke. Nothing so illogical about that, now is there?"

_Miserable vamp_, Setsuna thought unkindly, _How would _you_ like to be broken? Keep this up and I'll strike you down where you stand. At least I won't have to raise my arm too high._ "No, Evangeline-san, there is not", Setsuna replied in tightly-measured tones, "It was simply outside of my experience to have the barrier break. Obviously, I can expect such a thing in the future… And I suppose _you_ would know just how strong someone would have to be to break the barrier? It _would_ have to be someone else as strong as he."

Setsuna threw in that little jab, her patience with Evangeline expended. The diminutive blonde twitched, recognising the jibe at her expense. Back during the Mahora Budōkai, Setsuna had defeated Evangeline during the quarterfinals within Phantasmagoria, Evangeline's own conjured, illusory world, and had used the barrier ability. Back then, it had held firm in the face of the vampire's attack.

And now, it had failed, with no particularly good reason. Setsuna knew, as did Evangeline, that such a line of reasoning—while perfectly logical—lacked conviction in the face of such power as their opponent had displayed.

Trying to regain her dignity, Evangeline cut in. "So I suppose that, while Sakurazaki drags out the gory details of your battle, you'd like to know just how you managed to survive, and how you ended up here." She scoffed. "Well, bōya, much as I like to see you get a good thrashing now and again, it would be such a bother to have you die when I spent so much time training you and putting up with your little Negi Brigade." She leaned over the bed, leering at Negi, who recoiled. Whispering, she said, "Of course, I may kill you myself some day, so don't go dying on me yet."

Setsuna's fists clenched into balls, face flushed a dark pink. She shook with anger, barely controlling herself. Makie, forgotten again, shrunk further into her chair, then yelped as a calm voice called out from behind her.

"Master, I sense that your words have provoked Sakurazaki-san; reading her body temperature and stress levels, I predict that she is intent on doing harm upon your person. Perhaps such a course of action is unwise at this moment, and you should—for the time being—desist."

Negi's mouth went slack as Chachamaru emerged from the closet toilet. "Cha-Cha-Chachamaru-san—! How long were you in there?!"

"I have been sequestered in the toilet since 1700 hours, Negi-sensei," came Chachamaru's reply, delivered in her typical robotic deadpan. "It was thought that the staff would become too curious about me if I were to roam freely. Therefore, I retreated to reasonable privacy and ran a basic systems diagnostic. Hakase should be pleased that I am keeping up my routine systems checks—"

"Enough, baka-robot!" Eva snapped. "You don't have to tell us your life story."

"I apologize, Master." Chachamaru bowed, adding "Though I calculate that such a narrative would take approximately fifteen days, six hours, eighteen minu—"

"CHACHAMARU! SHUT UP!" Eva bellowed. Chachamaru immediately fell silent, with another deep bow. Eva sat huffing while Negi, Nodoka, and Makie quailed. Setsuna let out a huff and shook her head.

"As Eva-san _began_ to explain, sensei," Setsuna resumed, irritated, "when the barrier had failed and we were to be attacked again, she arrived just in the nick of time and distracted our assailant. It seems that she was still involved at her tea ceremony club along with Chachamaru-san, and she heard of the commotion—"

"_Actually_, Sakurazaki," cut in Evangeline, "being such a bloody powerful vampire sorceress, you _don't_ suppose that I might have sensed the magic power brewing _all by myself_—HEY!"

Setsuna snapped to her feet, snatched up her scabbard, and drew Yūnagi from its sheath in one smooth, quick motion faster than the blink of an eye, a nearly impossible movement for any but one of the Shimeiryū. Setsuna stood fuming, her longsword aimed squarely between Evangeline's eyes. Chachamaru was poised to move should something go down; everyone else sat stunned, staring at the drama about to unfold.

"Evangeline!" Setsuna yelled, "I have had enough with your sneers and insults. I can bear them no longer! Negi-sensei very nearly died today, as did the rest of us! It is stressful and draining to go through such a battle for our lives, then have to listen to you brag about how powerful you are and what a saviour you were! _Shut the hell up!_"

Evangeline sat speechless, staring down the length of the _nodachi_ pointed directly at her nose. Then, daintily but with some disgust, she touched the tip of the blade with her index finger, and directed the lethal weapon away from her to her left. Her reply mustered as much wounded dignity as possible under the circumstances. "Humph, Sakurazaki, really. You needn't yell. I suppose the bōya gets the point, anyway… Hahahaha! 'Gets the point'! Hahahaha! Come, Chachamaru! I'd best leave here while I'm still ahead… and still _have_ my head!"

Chachamaru bowed with a "Yes, Master", and followed Evangeline as she swept out the door. Eva's laughs of "Gets the point" and "Still got my head!" could be heard as she swept down the hall. Setsuna, hand shaking slightly, sheathed her sword, then dropped to kneel again.

"I… I'm so sorry, sensei…" she whispered. "I am ashamed that I lost my temper… Ojōsama would be so disappointed…"

"No, Setsuna-san…" Negi reached out his hand but stopped, helpless. One thing that he had a hard time dealing with was a woman's tears, or any girl in distress, really. "Um… um… you were going to tell me how the battle ended…?"

Setsuna straightened, sighing, once again her own master. "Yes, sensei. As I said, Evangeline—_however_ she found out,"—Setsuna said this with gritted teeth—"she rushed to the battlefield. When she saw you… um… hurt, she shrieked so _loud_, like a bat… or a banshee."

"Um…" Nodoka piped up timidly. "N-Not that she didn't care… or anything… but I don't think that she was… exactly… worried about Negi-sensei… More like, she recognized whoever was fighting us…"

"Hmm…" Setsuna nodded to herself. "I suppose that's true, Hon'ya-chan. Eva doesn't seem to care about anything but herself. Maybe power… But Nodoka-san is right. She screamed 'You!' and blasted him with _Ensis Exsequens_. Of course, she pointed it right at us, too; guess she didn't care much if we got _vaporized_… But he hightailed it out of there when she showed up. I think she was pretty angry that she missed him…

"Anyway, he ran off, and that stupid spell dropped the ambient temperature about forty degrees, so we had _snow_ falling on us… When we realized that he had fled, we tried to figure out what to do about you. Sensei… you were badly hurt. There have been few times that I have witness such injuries as yours… Luckily, Yue returned, and she had both Kotarō and Konoka-ojōsama with her. Ojōsama was nearly in tears when she saw you, but Asuna-san pulled her around, and with the help of her pactio, Konoka-ojōsama was able to patch you up. Though you sustained a number of injuries that were too old for her to heal—her time limit is three minutes, of course."

"Yes…" Negi winced. "So, you brought me here, to the Mahora Hospital?"

"Yes, sensei," Setsuna replied. "The doctors asked what had happened, and I told them that we had been sparring when you tripped and fell down the stairs in the plaza… Actually, Kotarō said that you were sparring with _him_. I suppose…" Here Setsuna chuckled just a bit in her throat. Negi was confused.

"What's funny, Setsuna-san?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said with quiet laughter, "I suppose it's just Kotarō's way of caring. You know he'd never admit he's worried about you, but maybe he wanted to… um… 'spare you the embarrassment of losing a fight with a girl'?"

Negi blushed. "That's not true at all, Sestuna-san! You're such a strong fighter! I faced you in the Budōkai, remember? You gave it your best, and I'll always appreciate it! Kotarō-kun knows that too!"

Setsuna felt a tiny blush crawl up her neck. "Um… Thank you, sensei…"

Negi looked around. "So, do you now how long I'm supposed to be here?"

Setsuna stood up and faced Negi squarely. "Sensei," she said sternly, though not unkindly. "You're hurt. You're only human, the fact that you're a…" she glanced at Makie, "a wizard notwithstanding. You need rest. The doctors are going to keep you here for a few days for observation. If nothing is out of order, you can return to your duties by next week."

Setsuna stooped down to bend over him. Still stern, but with a hint of motherly love, she said, "However, you must do as they say; they know what is best for you." She smiled at him. "All right, sensei?"

Negi blushed. "Ah, um… y-yes, Sestuna-san. I understand." He blinked as a sudden thought occurred to him. He turned to Makie. "Um, Makie-san…? You, um… You know… about us?"

Makie nodded, still looking guilty. "Um, yes, Negi-kun. I… I was practicing my new floor routine near the plaza, and… I saw what happened to you… I wanted to run away, but Chachamaru-san sensed me, and she caught me. She said that you'd have to fill me in on what happened." She stood up, knocking her chair back, and rushed to Negi's side. "Please, sensei, don't… don't think badly of me! I promise, I won't tell anyone, not even Ayaka! No matter how much they ask, I won't tell them your secret! I promise!"

"Makie-san, please calm down!" Negi yelped. Makie quieted. "Makie-san, you're a good girl, and I appreciate you keeping this a secret. A number of your friends know about me, so if you have anything to ask, you can always go to them. All right?"

"O-Okay…" She sniffed, relieved that she wasn't going to be punished. Negi smiled.

"Makie-san, I'm not going to punish you for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. What you did was hardly a crime. If anything, it will be punishment enough to have to keep my secret, and not tell you friends about this. Can you do that?"

Makie nodded furiously. "Cross my heart, sensei! I'll eat a thousand puffer fish needles if I ever tell them your secret!"

"Oi, runt!" Asuna called as she and Konoka returned to the room. "You feel any better?"

"A little bit, Asuna-san," Negi replied. "I'm sore, but I'll be all right. Setsuna-san said I have to rest, and I think that's best right now."

"O-ho…" Asuna looked slyly at Setsuna. "Well, she's got a point, brat. If we left you to do as you pleased, you'd be up and running around already."

"Mmm… I don't know…" Negi yawned. "I'm tired…"

"Oh!" Setsuna quickly pressed the button at bedside to summon the nurse. "We're not supposed to let him sleep!"

A moment later, a nurse came bustling in. "What's the matter… Oh, he's falling asleep. I'll have to fetch the doctor and see if it's all right… Keep him awake, dear," she directed at Setsuna, heading back out the door.

"I'll do it…" muttered Asuna, stepping forward.

"Ah, no, Asuna-san…" Setsuna stepped to Negi's bed, forestalling Asuna's advance. "Allow me."

Bending down near Negi's ear, Setsuna said in a loud, clear voice: "Negi-sensei! Wake up! You'll be late for Eva's training; do you want her mad at you?"

Negi's eyes jolted open, and he started to sweat a little. "A-wa-wa… Setsuna-san! I'm not late! That wasn't nice!"

Setsuna smiled, bashful. "Sorry, sensei," she whispered, apologetic, "The nurse told us to make sure you didn't fall asleep. They have to check you, in case you have a concussion. Besides, you didn't want _Asuna-san_ to wake you, did you?"

Negi's jaw dropped in fright at the prospect. "Oh, thanks loads, Setsuna-san," Asuna drawled, "Now he'll be awake all night with _nightmares_ for sure." Setsuna chuckled as the nurse returned, followed closely by the doctor.

"Hello, everyone. I'll have to ask you to leave for a moment while I check over Negi-kun."

"Um, doctor?" asked Asuna, "Is it all right if one of us stays the night? I mean, this is a private room, right?"

The doctor nodded. "Certainly. We can have a cot brought in for one of you. Why don't you discuss it outside?"

The nurse showed them out. Asuna, Konoka, Setsuna, Nodoka, and Makie huddled on a bench just down the hall.

"I'll stay with him; he needs someone to look after him…" Asuna muttered.

"But Asuna, don't you have your morning paper route?" Konoka asked.

Asuna shrugged. "Doesn't matter right now; Negi's more important—"

"I disagree, Asuna-san," Setsuna cut in. Everyone looked at her. It was unlike Setsuna to meddle in the personal affairs of others. Asuna's voice took on a hint of impatience.

"Setsuna-san, what I do with myself isn't really your concern…"

"While I agree with you on that point, Asuna-san," Setsuna replied, "you've missed far too many days lately on your route to defend further absences, even if they are justifiable reasons for doing so. You are on a scholarship, and those newspapers supplement your tuition; you can't be missing so many days."

"Well, what do you suggest, then?" Asuna retorted.

"Good evening, ladies," came the voice of an older man. The girls turned to see Negi's good friend and colleague from Mahora, Takamichi T. Takahata-sensei, coming up the hall, waving in their direction.

"Oh, Takahata-sensei!" Asuna beamed. She had a not-at-all-secret crush on their former homeroom teacher, and was always pleased when in his company. Which, unfortunately for her, often involved Negi's company as well. "We were just discussing who would stay with Negi overnight. I was going to, but…"

Setsuna turned to Konoka, and took one knee. "Ojōsama, with your dispensation, I would ask to watch over Negi-sensei for the night."

Again, everyone turned to Setsuna and stared.

"Setchan?" Konoka asked. "Why… do you want to stay with Negi-kun?"

Setsuna bowed her head low. "Ojōsama, I can't help but feel that his current situation is, in part, my fault. I feel that I ought to have stood at his side as he battled his foe. Instead, I kept to the rear, and he came to harm because of it…"

"That's a bunch of B.S.!" Asuna snapped. "You did what you had to do, and if you hadn't, all of us would've probably ended up as bad as Negi, or worse! So don't you go dragging your guilt into it!"

Konoka bent to her knees and dropped down to Setsuna's level. "Setchan… Do you really feel that bad about it?"

"I do, ojōsama," Setsuna replied. "I would see that he… makes it safely through the night, and see that if he should want for anything, I can serve him as well as I have served you."

Konoka took Setuna's hand in her own, and raised her gently to her feet. "Okay, Setchan. I don't mind you staying the night."

Setsuna looked up into Konoka's eyes. "Thank you, ojōsama."

Konoka's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and her voice took on a hint of impatience. "Oh, Setchan, I've told you: Call me Kono-chan, okay?"

"Er, yes, Kono… chan…" Setsuna was taken aback. Though her face softened when Setsuna called her by her childhood name, Konoka still had something… sad in her eyes when she voiced her displeasure.

Konoka turned to Takahata. "Did you come to see Negi-kun, Takahata-sensei?"

"Mmm, not exactly," he replied. "I heard he was in stable condition, so it doesn't seem necessary to bother him right now. I really came to get all of you. It's getting late, and after the incident, it seemed best that you be escorted back to the dorms. Kotarō-kun and Yue-kun are in the lobby. Kotarō-kun wanted desperately to see Negi, but Yue-kun managed to distract him and calm him down a bit. I think she's good for him, that girl."

They giggled a little at that. Kotarō, straightforward and a fighter to the core, was an odd match to Yue, the pint-sized philosopher who nonetheless hated to study, but they did make a cute couple.

The doctor emerged from the room. "He's fine for now. He should be able to sleep well enough; we gave him a mild sedative and painkillers, so he should be okay tonight. Who's staying?" Setsuna raised her hand. "Okay, they'll have the cot up in about an hour." He strode away.

"Well, girls, I suppose we should be going. Setsuna-kun, do you need anything?" asked Takahata. She shook her head. "All right. I'll come by in the morning to escort you back to classes. Give Negi-kun my regards."

He turned and began walking away, the others following suit. Both Konoka and Asuna turned to look at Setsuna as they left; Konoka still looked a bit hurt, and Asuna's mood was something akin to puzzlement. They decided to leave it be, though. For now, anyway.

* * *

Setsuna returned to Negi's room, where he was moaning and turning in his bed; the lights were turned off and the blinds still drawn, leaving the room in semi-darkness. "Sensei," she whispered, approaching his bed, "aren't you feeling well?"

"This one supposes that it is the medicine they gave him; he's probably not used to it, _de gozaru_."

Setsuna turned swiftly to her right. In the shadows she heard a familiar woman's voice: low, formal, and self-depreciating. The voice soon became the silhouette of a person, one of the stealthiest and most skilled fighters in Mahora.

"Kaede-san!" Setsuna exclaimed in a whisper. "When did you get here?"

"Just a moment ago," replied the ninja-in-training. "This one was greatly worried about Negi-bōzu, and wished to see how he was faring, _de gozaru yo_. Incidentally…" Kaede reached into her back pocket and withdrew a wooden box, about the length of one's forearm, with 桜咲刹那 ("Sakurazaki Setsuna") printed on the lid. "This one found what one assumes to be Setsuna-dono's lost item. Yes?"

"Thank you, Kaede." Setsuna accepted the box gratefully. Opening the lid, she withdrew the item held within.

"Ooh, so Setsuna-dono is learning the piccolo, _de gozaru nā_?" asked Kaede in mild surprise.

"Yes… It was a gift from Eishun-sama, for my birthday…" She stroked the case wistfully. Kaede's eyes, which were usually slit like a kitsune's, opened just a crack.

"Ah… Eishun-dono is most thoughtful to give you such a beautiful gift, _de gozaru ne_?"

"He… he does me too great an honour…" Setsuna blushed. "But I've had no time to practice lately. I had only just taken it out for the first time in over a month; I'd been working on a song, but I couldn't think about how to structure the end of the verse… Hahaha, I only have one verse, actually…"

Kaede shrugged. "Well, this one would not wish to linger and disturb Negi-bōzu's rest. Setsuna-dono, perhaps Negi-bōzu would like to hear your song, _de gozaru ka?_"

Setsuna popped upright. "Eh?!" she exclaimed. "M-Me… sing for Negi-sensei?!"

Kaede chuckled. "Well, this one wouldn't dream of meddling, but it may be just what he needs to calm his restlessness, _de gozaru ka shira_."

Setsuna looked down on her small teacher, still rustling fretfully in bed. "What he needs to calm his rest…" she said thoughtfully, turning the piccolo over in her hand. Kaede said no more, but slipped out the door and out of sight.

Negi stilled his restless turning. Moaning, he opened his eyes. "Setsuna… san?" he asked. "Are you… staying with me tonight?"

"Yes, sensei," she replied. Negi sat up, wincing. "But… shouldn't you be with Konoka-san…?"

Setsuna swallowed. She did want to be with her ojōsama, her Kono-chan, but… "Well, sensei… We talked it over, and… I asked to stay with you. Kono-chan is… She'll be all right. She's with Asuna-san. Asuna-san will look after Kono-chan, I know she will."

Truth be told, Setsuna wasn't too happy with Asuna right at the moment. But she needn't burden Negi unnecessarily with the thought of his students not getting along.

"Oh… All right then, Setsuna-san. I… I'm glad you're staying," Negi replied. "I… I don't quite know what's wrong with me… I want to sleep, but I can't seem to get comfortable…"

"…Are you frightened, sensei?" Setsuna asked quietly. Negi stiffened, followed by a sound that might have been a sniffle.

"Y-Yes, Setsuna-san… I am. I… I didn't realize just how much danger we were in… We've never, ever fought anyone so powerful. And I can't even remember what happened… I'm… scared, Setsuna-san…"

Setsuna bent over him and drew him into her arms, surprised at how easily it came to her. She rarely engaged in hugging, and when she did, it was usually Konoka who initiated it.

_Ojōsama_, thought Setsuna, _Kono-chan, please: Lend me your loving kindness. I know that I have hurt you by not being at your side tonight, but please, lend me the strength of your friendship, for Negi-sensei…_

* * *

_Distantly, as she was walking back to the dorms with Takahata and the rest of the group, Konoka paused briefly, turning back to the hospital.  
_

"_Hey, Konoka. You forget something?" asked Asuna softly._

_Konoka shook her head. "No… I just thought… I thought I heard Setchan's voice…"_

_Asuna also shook her head. "That Setsuna … I don't know why she… Humph… Hey, Konoka, let's get going, okay?_

_Konoka nodded. "Okay…" She paused a moment longer, then turned to rejoin her friends._

* * *

Setsuna ran a gentle hand over Negi's head, smoothing his rumpled hair. "Negi-sensei, if you please, maybe I can sing you a song to help you sleep."

Negi looked up at her. "I didn't know you sang, Setsuna-san. What kind of song?"

She fingered her piccolo. "It's… It's one I wrote myself… I'd been trying to finish it …"

Negi smiled. "That's wonderful, Setsuna-san! I'm glad that you're exploring your musical talent! I'd love to hear you sing."

Setsuna bowed. "Yes, sensei. The way of the warrior was also one of art and music, a cultured class. I hope you like it, Negi-sensei. Please, relax, and imagine yourself as one with nature…"

Drawing the chair to his bedside, she raised the piccolo to her lips. After giving a few short test notes, she began to play. The melody swept through the small, private room, not loud yet strong, rising and sweeping down again.

As she neared the last bar of the first verse, Negi's eyes—which had been half-closed as he listened to the melody—finally drooped shut. He was relaxed as Setsuna began to sing; her voice—usually quite deep when she spoke—was high and strong and clear as the words to her song rang out.

By the time she reached the end of the verse, Negi had fallen asleep. Setuna smiled to herself, thinking that, if Negi's peaceful sleep was the payment for her singing, she could only be grateful for such a reward. She placed the piccolo carefully back in its case, then—treading softly so as not to disturb Negi's sleep—made her way to the opposite side of his bed. She took a _zabuton_—a cushion used for sitting while meditating—out of her schoolbag and placed it on the floor. Taking Yūnagi in her hand, she leaned back, sitting cross-legged against the wall on her cushion. She closed her eyes, taking in the quiet of her surroundings.

The staff came in some time later and set up a cot for Setsuna. Noticing that the young girl was deep in meditation, they decided not to disturb her. She hummed her song quietly to herself, thinking of new phrases and lyrics, and was soon asleep herself, reassured by Negi's quiet breaths.

* * *

Chapter One: End

* * *

**Setsuna's Song**

_The wind sweeps o'er the grass  
__Like the rising tide…  
__The wind sweeps through the air  
__Like a falling star…__  
_

_The stars shine in the night  
__Like diamonds in the ocean depths…  
__They shine… they shine so brightly…__  
_

_And now the daylight fades  
__Like fire dying into embers…  
__The smokeless coals the only evidence  
__That once a mighty blaze had raged__  
_

_The heartbeat stills to nothing,  
__The quiet voices in the night arise…  
__They sing to all the stars above the sky…  
__They sing to all the stars there in the sky…__  
_

_They sing their praises to the sky…  
__Sing all their praises to the sky…__  
_

_Sing all their praises to… the… sky…_

* * *

**Notes:**

A _gnomon_ is the metal plate/fin on a sundial; when the sun strikes the gnomon, the shadow falls on the _dial plane_ below. Sundials have to be placed carefully; different regions in the world have different elevations and different positions relative to the tilt of the earth's axis, so each one has a unique way that it must be positioned to read the correct time.

**Names:** For the most part, though the characters are generally on a first-name basis, Japanese **full** names (if mentioned) will be in Japanese naming order; that is, family name first, followed by given name.

E.g. Asuna is Kagurazaka Asuna, Setsuna is Sakurazaki Setsuna, Konoka is Konoe Konoka (her grandfather's given name is Konoemon), and Makie is Sasaki Makie.

However, Takamichi T. Takahata, while (apparently Japanese) has spent a long time abroad and (unusually for a Japanese) has a middle name, and so is better known to some with an English naming order. (Takamichi is his given name and Negi addresses him as such, while the girls call him Takahata-sensei).

Evangeline and Negi are British, and so also use the English naming order: Evangeline A.K. McDowell and Negi Springfield.

**Japanese Honorific Speech:**

In Japanese, honorific speech is reflected in two main ways: special verbs and suffixes on names. Since translating to English often makes the Japanese honorific forms seem stilted or silly, I didn't do it for verbs. Instead, I've maintained the use of Japanese titles much as they are used in the main Negima manga. Some titles are only used combined with names, while others may stand on their own.

In Japanese, it is rude to refer to a person as just "you". Rather, use their name and an appropriate honorific. You may also use their title, for example "sensei" (doctor/teacher) or "kachō" (manager in a business). Some titles are even used with an honorific; e.g., Isha-san (Mr. Doctor) or Iinchō-san (Mrs. Representative), kind of like saying "Mr. President" or "Mrs. Prime Minister".

-san (～さん): All-purpose honorific; translates to "Mr.", "Mrs.", "Ms.", or "Miss".

-sama (～さま): Same as "-san", but with greater respect.

-dono (～どの): Derived from _tono_, "My Lord"; very high respect.

-chan (～ちゃん): Used mainly towards children or pets, it indicates a degree of childish cuteness. Girls will often use it with each other.

-kun (～くん): Used towards those of an "inferior" social station (boys or girls), though mainly used by boys between each other.

As an example: Takamichi Takahata refers to Negi as "Negi-kun" to show friendliness and familiarity, but he refers to Asuna as "Asuna-kun" to show the difference in station (teacher to student). This occurs in the first manga volume.

[Title]: As before, titles are sometimes used as an honorific, and are sometimes used in lieu of a person's name, either with or without an honorific.

Sensei (先生): Literally meaning "one who has come before", it refers to any person who has become recognized in their field. Doctors and teachers are among the most prominent and recognizable recipients of the term "sensei".

Sempai/Kōhai (先輩・後輩): The senior and junior (respectively) in a relationship. Schools and businesses are prominent examples of the sempai-kōhai dynamic in action.

Sensei, sempai, and kohai all share similar kanji.

Ojōsan (お嬢さん): A title referring to a young woman who is the daughter of a powerful family. Ojōsan is the standard polite term; ojōsama denotes even greater respect, while ojōchan is often used by older persons as a sign of affection. Sometimes, the honorific "o" is dropped, leaving jōsan or jōchan.

(No honorific): When addressing a person with whom you are not very close, it is most polite to do so using their name or position as well as an additional honorific. However, between friends or intimates, honorific speech is unnecessary, as they have earned that closeness and so may be more relaxed with each other. This is known as _yobisute_.

(Nicknames): Some "honorifics" are actually nicknames that are bestowed on a person by their friends. Contractions based on "-chan" are common; e.g., Secchan/Setchan is a blend of "Setsuna" and "-chan", Kono-chan is a shortening of "Konoka" with "-chan". Other names, like Yuecchi/Yuetchi take the name "Yue" and form a double consonant with "chi".


	2. Unlikely Visitation

So here we go, with Chapter 2 of "Long Shadows Over Mahora". I hope you enjoy it!

**DISCLAIMER:** Negima and everything that goes along with it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Ken Akamatsu (who made it) and everyone else (who got a slice of the pie). I stand in no way to profit from my work (or his). Though I wish I could.

Likewise, Warhammer 40,000 and everything that goes along with it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Games Workshop, their subsidiaries, and their affiliates. I stand in no way to profit from incorporating their work into my own. Though I hope it will continue to be awesome.

**Chapter One Recap:** Negi fights an unknown magical enemy and loses. Whoever it was, their power was great; they easily overcame the combined might of Negi and Setsuna, as well as shattering Setsvuna's hitherto unbreakable Shinmeiryū barrier technique. Only the timely arrival of Evangeline prevented them from taking further damage, though Negi was badly hurt. He was rushed to Mahora Hospital, where he was kept overnight for observation. Setsuna explained their situation, in between snide rejoinders from Evangeline. A vague tension grows between Asuna, Konoka, and Setsuna, which remains undefined as the girls (which include Nodoka and Makie, the latter having the misfortune to stumble on the magical duel by accident) are escorted back to school by Takahata-sensei. Setsuna alone remains with Negi overnight; Kaede stops by to return Setsuna's lost piccolo, a birthday present from Setsuna's commander, Konoka's father Eishun. Setsuna plays a song of her own creating and soothes Negi to sleep.

* * *

**Long Shadows Over Mahora**

* * *

Chapter Two: Unlikely Visitation

* * *

_Why does he have to drone on so…?_, thought Asuna, as Negi continued his lecture.

Not that Asuna was the most attentive student even on her best days, but today she was particularly distracted. Ever since the incident ten days ago, Negi had been acting strangely. Yes, the doctors released him the week after the incident as promised, and Negi seemed to be in good sorts, but there was _something_ off…

The bells rang, signalling the end to the period and—by extension—the end of Friday's classes. The girls clamoured and called to each other, exchanging plans for the weekend while Negi tried, and failed, to remind them about their homework for the weekend.

The class quickly cleared out, leaving only a few stragglers: Asuna, Konoka, Setsuna, and Negi, as well as Makie, Yue, Nodoka, and Haruna. Negi cheerfully placed his books and papers in a briefcase as Asuna approached him. "Hey, twerp."

Negi stopped, one hand in his bag. He recognized the look on Asuna's face: she thought something was amiss, and wouldn't stop questioning him until he confessed.

"I'm fine, Asuna," he said, still cheerful. Asuna's eyes narrowed.

"Why do you think that I'm worried about you, twerp?" she snapped. Negi blinked, weighing his response.

"Um, Asuna-san, the look on your face is—"

"_What_ look?" she barked.

"…That look," Negi replied warily.

"This is not a look! It's my face!" Asuna retorted.

"Well, it's the look _on_ your face…" Negi said, at a loss.

"Hahaha! In yo' face!" Haruna called from her seat.

"Shut up, Haruna!" Asuna yelled at her. "I'm _trying_ to interrogate—er, _talk with Negi_, and you're not helping!"

"Really, Asuna, I'm quite all right." Negi grasped her wrist gently. "I know you're worried about what happened last week, but I'm doing well and there's no need to be concerned—"

"I'm _not_ worried about you!" Asuna cried, blushing just a little bit. "Just… You know I'll help you if you have any problems—"

"I know you will, Asuna-san" Negi said softly. "You'll always be there for me, so I don't have to worry."

He released her and finished packing his briefcase. He headed for the door, a thoughtful look on his youthful face, making him seem much older than his years. Asuna grimaced.

"That boy thinks he's so much smarter than the rest of us; it's gonna get him in trouble one of these days…" Asuna muttered under her breath. Haruna sniggered, waltzing down to join Asuna.

"Well, Asuna," the mangaka drawled, "You seem pretty interested in Negi's affairs, don'tcha?"

Asuna blushed angrily. "Well, he's my magical partner, not to mention my frickin' _roommate_, for cryin' out loud! You'd _think_ I give a care what he's doing with himself! And what about you, Haruna?" Asuna poked an accusing finger into Haruna's breastbone. "Don't _you_ care what happens to Negi?"

"Hey, relax, girl!" Haruna yelped, brushing Asuna's hand aside. "Of _course_ I care what happens to the boy wonder. It's just… I wasn't there when he was attacked, so I don't know all the details—"

"Never stopped you from inventing most of them, now, did it?" came a low voice. Everyone turned in surprise to Setsuna, who had made the comment. She was still in her seat, head bent, cradling Yūnagi in her right arm. Konoka blinked.

"Setchan, what's gotten into you?"

Setsuna raised her head an inch. "Hmm? Why do you ask, Ojōsama?"

"Well…" Konoka trailed off, unsure as to what question she wanted to ask. "You just… so rarely get involved in other people's business—"

"You will forgive me, Ojōsama," Setsuna cut in, "if I believe that Negi-sensei's business is also _my_ business. I cannot ignore the turn of events surrounding the attack on Negi-sensei, nor my failure to protect both you and he."

"Oh, Setchan…" Konoka, eyes full of worry, grasped her friend and bodyguard's hand in both of hers. "You didn't fail us! Why do you think that?"

Setsuna rose and brushed Konoka's hands away distractedly, if not brusquely. "Forgive me, Ojōsama. I have business to which I must attend. If you will excuse me, I will see you later this evening."

Bowing formally to her lady, Setsuna picked up her bag in her left hand, sword slung over her right shoulder, and left through the door. Asuna's eyes blinked rapidly in perplexity.

"That was… unusual," murmured Haruna, none to quietly.

"'Fraid I have to agree with you, Paru," Asuna muttered back. "Something is distracting her… What could it be?"

Makie sidled up to Nodoka and Yue. "Setsuna-san is really scary, isn't she?"

Yue sucked on a juice box and smiled slightly. "Only when she's angry. You wouldn't like her like that."

Nodoka nodded vigorously, leaving Makie perplexed. "Does she get angry?" she asked dubiously.

Yue's face became serious. "Makie, just hope you never have to see it."

Makie nodded furiously, only too ready to agree.

* * *

Setsuna reached the southern plaza after about ten minutes' walk. The sun, though past its zenith and westering now, had hours of light left to give. Standing in the silent space, she looked around her slowly, taking in the shade cast by the trees. It was lighter now than when they had been attacked. Perhaps she could discover something…

She sneezed slightly. _Someone's talking about me,_ she thought, _but I can't let it distract me now. This is too important._

She set her bag down, shifting Yūnagi's weight so that it dangled at her left side, and reached into a compartment in her bag, rustling about for a moment before drawing out seven long, thin pieces of paper, inked with arcane symbols. They were talismans, for Setsuna was a student of the Gods'-Cry School of swordsmanship, and part of her training was in the Eastern magical art_ onmyōdō_. As an _onmyōji_, Setsuna could manipulated her _chi_ and channel it into these _ofuda_ talismans, which she had prepared over the course of the last five days. Often, they were used for warding and protection, and it was in this capacity that Setsuna would employ them now.

She raised her right hand, the seven talismans splayed into a fan. Closing her eyes, she chanted, and as she did, each of the talismans lit up in one colour of the rainbow, flying out to where she called.

_God on the left, shield me. God on the right, strengthen me. God in front, guide me. God behind, protect me. God above, watch over me. God below, steady me. Great Buddha, awaken within me._

One by one, the talismans floated to their place, with the final talisman attaching to her chest. Opening her eyes, she looked 'round. She was employing a ring of protection against outside interference; people approaching the plaza would be steered away, their purpose changed to avoid the area. Stronger magical individuals could still approach, but even then, it was unlikely that they would see her, cloaked as she was by her spell. Only the more powerful creatures would be able to get through… She shook her head. Not to worry; she felt no threat here.

The other reason for the ring was to strengthen her own sight. Though skilled and of demon blood, she felt that a little extra help would do no harm. If she could find a clue as to their assailant's identity or motives, she could help Negi-sensei…

Satisfied, she reached into her pocket and drew forth yet another piece of paper. A picture of herself, wings spread and _daishō_ in hand, adorned the pactio card. It was the second sword that she required now: her artefact _wakizashi_, gifted to her for completing a probationary contract with Negi.

_Ironic_, she thought briefly_, that Negi-sensei's gift—the gift of a sword—should help me discover the reason behind our defeat, when it could not protect us… And as I said: The warrior must also be a scholar. Where martial force fails, knowledge will win out…_

Shaking the thought from her mind, she once again closed her eyes and entered into a yogic, trance-like state. Light pooled around her, sunlight and _chi_. With a whispered "Adeat!", her artefact appeared in her hand. Smaller in size compared to her _nodachi_ Yūnagi, the _wakizashi_ Sica Shishikushiro was the complimentary sword, or _shōtō_, to her own longsword, or _daitō_. The Sica was both a weapon and a ceremonial tool, allowing Setsuna to amplify her own Shinmeiryū abilities.

She swung the blade in a lazy arc, clockwise from above her head, bringing Sica back in front of her in a salute. Eight ethereal blades, representing the cardinal points, shimmered into existence before her and flew out to surround her, blades buried up to the guard.

She kissed the blade and stretched her arm before her.

_I implore thee: Show me that which is hidden!_

The blade shone with inner light. Above her, the sky darkened, and the wind stirred. A blast of inky light erupted from beneath her: a magic circle, but dark purple, and wholly unlike those made by Negi. It was infinitely complex: arcane rune scuttled here and there, refusing to be pinned down by sight. Setsuna, though entranced, recoiled from the sight that burned its way through her eyelids.

_Images of destruction and darkness flashed through her mind: flame and ruin, whole planets winking out into nothingness, and a void, stretching to beyond eternity, sucking her in, threatened to collapse her mind, so small next to infinity—_

"Setsuna-nee-san!"

Setsuna reeled, eyes snapping open and her breath leaving her in a gasp. She fell back in a heap, her talismans and illusory blades burning out, leaving behind little puffs of smoke and tiny piles of ash. She felt something wiggling beneath her.

"K-Kotarō?" Setsuna gasped. She picked herself up quickly but unsteadily, turning quickly to offer the dog half-demon a hand. Kotarō picked himself up gingerly, rubbing his back. "What are you doing here, Kotarō?" she asked, stunned by the vision that had assailed her and wondering, somewhere in the back of her mind, how he might have broken into her barrier.

"I was lookin' for ya!" Kotarō stated, as though it were obvious. "Somethin's wrong with Negi, an' I thought you might know what."

"Why, has something happened?" Setsuna asked, worried.

"Well, yeah! Somethin' _has_ happened—" Kotarō began.

"What is it?" Setsuna cried, poised as if to take flight any moment.

"Whoa, whoa! Slow down!" Kotarō pleaded. "I mean, it's not that Negi's in a life-or-death situation or anything…"

Setsuna relaxed. "What, then?"

Kotarō frowned. "He's said that he doesn't want to be my rival anymore!"

Setsuna blinked, at a loss to find the meaning behind Kotarō's words. "Um, he doesn't want to be your rival…?"

"Right, right!" Kotarō clenched his fists and began pacing, arms flapping. "We promised that we'd get stronger together! Him an' me! An' I don't know what's got into him! I saw him walkin' outta class, and I challenged him to a fight, like I always do! An' he just smiled like he'd lost all his care, and said, 'Oh, I don't think I can be your rival anymore, Kotarō', AN' JUST KEPT WALKING!"

Setsuna frowned. That was wholly unlike Negi. As logical and thoughtful as Negi was, Kotarō was the exact opposite. Straightforward and rash, Kotarō made the perfect foil for the boy teacher, and they were great friends. Negi and Kotarō had yet to fight the decisive match that would determine which of them was the best; Kotarō and Negi had both been defeated by Ku:nel Sanders in the Budōkai, before either could face each other in the finals. Despite this, however, both maintained their rivalry, training so that when the time came, they would give it their all and determine the best man.

But now, for Negi to so casually push away their rivalry…

"Kotarō," said Setsuna slowly, "how did you get through my barrier?"

"Eh?" Kotarō looked around, finally noticing the burnt earth around them, and the ashen remains of Setsuna's talismans. "That… that was you? I mean, yeah, I saw ya all trance-like, but I thought you were meditatin'. I didn't see you doing any _magic_…"

_Whatever it was that I saw, for it to be able to burn out my talismans and neutralize my own magic, its magic was many times greater than my own. I must be careful indeed._ "Kotarō, where is Negi now?"

"I saw him headin' towards the dorms, but…"

"Very well, we shall follow him." Setsuna looked around. Noticing something on the ground, she stooped to pick it up, then gasped, her fingers twitching in shock. It was her pactio card, Sica having changed back to its paper form involuntarily. The edges were crisped and slightly burnt, as though it had been held close to a candle.

"My card…" she whispered.

"Setsuna-nee-san, isn't that your pactio with Negi?" Kotarō asked, perplexed.

"Yes…" Setsuna whispered absently. _How dangerous a foe to do this!_ she thought. _Even if it is only a temporary pactio, for it to suffer such damage…_ "Kotarō," she said, "change of plans. Find Asuna-san and Konoka-ojōsama, and have them meet me in the east courtyard immediately."

"Fine, but what are you—?" Kotarō began.

"I haven't time to explain," Setsuna cut him off. "Please, find them."

Kotarō didn't respond, but bounded away to find the core members of the Negi-gumi. Setsuna hurried to the east courtyard. _This is very bad,_ she thought. _Our foe is so very dangerous, and we don't even know who or what he is…_

She stopped beneath the shade of a maple, looking around quickly. There were few people here, as she had hoped; they were all probably headed into town or back at the dorms, which meant that it was unlikely for anyone to come upon her and ruin her plans.

"Setsuna-san!" came a voice. Setsuna turned. Negi bounded up with Kotarō in tow.

"I ran into him first, so I brought him here. Is that okay?" Kotarō asked.

"That's fine, Kotarō," Setsuna replied.

"Kotarō told me that you were looking for me and Asuna-san and Konoka-san," Negi panted. "I can summon them for you."

"I would appreciate that, Negi-sensei," Setsuna replied. Truthfully, she hand hoped to speak to Asuna and Konoka first, but it might be easier to get it all out in the open at once.

"I summon thee: Partner Asuna, Partner Konoka!" Negi spoke the words of command; a pair of flashes, and Asuna and Konoka stood before them.

"Setchan?" Konoka looked puzzled. "We only just got out of class; did something happen?"

"Ojōsama, Asuna-san, I am sorry for calling you here so suddenly," Setsuna bowed in apology. "However, I have only just come from visiting the site of the attack on Negi-sensei, and I saw something that—"

A pulse of dark energy swept across the courtyard. The sky seemed to darken overhead, and the wind whistled, screeching across the pavement. Just as suddenly as it had come, it had passed, leaving them shivering in its wake.

"Yah!" Asuna yelled. "What was that?"

"Powerful dark magic," said Negi, a frown creasing his brow. He raised his hand, and from out of nowhere shot his staff, his father's gift. Gripping the shaft in both hands, he closed his eyes and thrust the staff in front of him. Muttering an incantation, a magic circle—topped by a large cardinal point—appeared beneath him. Swirling lazily at first, it picked up speed, whirling faster and faster until it swung to point behind him.

"That way!" He turned around, pointing south. Kotarō cracked his knuckles, a pleased look on his face.

"Alright! We're gonna crack some heads!" He sounded fiercely happy.

"You are not!" Setsuna shot back. Kotarō rounded on her, a plaintive look on his face and in his voice. "Setsuna-nee-san!" he whined.

"_No_, Kotarō!" she replied. "Go find Kū Fei, Kaede, and Mana. Whether this is the same foe we faced before or something new, we need help if we are to stand even the barest hope of confronting our enemy. Try to find Takahata-sensei as well, if you have time. GO!"

Kotarō sped off, the look of displeasure giving way to one of determination. The others sprinted southward. They came up to an empty building; it had been closed for the last two months due to renovations, and looked deserted.

"Asuna-san, you and I will take point," Setsuna whispered as they approached. "Negi-sensei, stay back and protect Ojōsama."

Negi tightened the grip on his staff, dropping back a metre to stand next to Konoka. Asuna quietly called "Adeat!" to summon her demon-banishing _harisen_ and advanced with Setsuna, who had flicked her sword clear of the guard. Setsuna's eyes narrowed as she peered through the windows. She could see neither light nor shadows from within, but that meant nothing. There were many magical beings that could cloak their presence, even from an experienced demon-hunter.

"I'll go in first," Setsuna relayed telepathically, "Asuna, cover me and keep between me and Negi. If they get past me, you're the second line of defence."

"I've got your back," Asuna replied. Despite her misgivings about Setsuna's attitude following the last attack, Asuna was relieved that Setsuna was still acting in character.

Setsuna raised her blade to a ready position. "I'll cut through the door first with Zanmaken Ni-no-Tachi, then knock it down with Zanganken. Hopefully, whatever is in there will be unlucky enough to be standing in the way." _Hopefully…_

She drew a deep breath. "_Zanmaken: Ni-no-Tachi!_" she yelled, slashing downward.

A flash of light flew through the door and blasted into the room. "_Zanganken!_" she cried, blasting the door off its hinges with her second strike. She charged, fairly flying though the doorway. "_Zanmaken!_" A flash, and another blade of energy flew out. It hurtled across the room, blasting into a figure at the other end. When it impacted, the energy simply dispersed, as if it had evaporated. A bright flash illuminated the figure for just a moment; it was clad in an enormous suit of baroque, steel blue armour.

_What?_ _A barrier…?_

"_Zantetsusen!_" she shouted. A spiral flare of ki shot forward, slamming into her opponent and flaring off like lightning in all directions. The figure, caught off guard, stepped back a pace.

Setsuna rushed in to exploit the gap in the figure's defences. She drew her pactio card, which flared with purple light around the edges like St. Elmo's Fire.

"Damnation, what is that?" yelled the figure in a guttural voice.

"_Adeat!_" cried Setsuna, calling her artefact. A burning purple short-sword appeared in her hand; Setsuna let out a keening wail, like the cry a wounded bird. _What is this?_ she thought madly, _Why is my artefact burning?_ "_H-H-Hien Battō K-Kasumi-kiri!_"

Setsuna slashed with blazing long- and short-swords at her opponent. Sparks flared where Setsuna's blows hit home; the figure had at last regained its senses, and swung back with wicked clawed gauntlets. A spinning backhand blow from the right sent Setsuna flying, back into Asuna's waiting arms.

"Hey, Setsuna! You shouldn't charge in without—OH-MY-GOD what is _that_?" Asuna yelled, dropping Setsuna in a heap. The figure had maintained a combat-ready stance even through sending Setsuna flying: her right arm was raised and forward, her left drawn back to her shoulder, both knees ever so slightly bent. She looked ready to charge.

"You could help me up," Setsuna muttered, somewhere between sarcasm and deadpan; it was impossible to tell which. A wisp of smoke curled from her stomach where her opponent had backhanded her. A painful smouldering in her hand revealed that her pactio had once again reverted; more of it was now crisped, some of the gilt flecking off of the edges and tiny pieces of it burnt off to ash. She quickly stowed it in her pocket.

"Humph," came a voice from within the ornate hood covering the figure. Though mechanical and distorted, it sounded as though the owner might be female. "Setsuna. Charging in without the slightest regard for your own safety or anything remotely approaching good battle tactics… What _do_ they teach you in the Shinmeiryū? Though I am lucky you didn't use _Shin Raikōken_," said the figure, examining her gauntleted hands, "or I might well be sashimi by now."

"Identify yourself!" Setsuna barked back. "Who are you? How do you know of the Shinmeiryū?"

"Who am I?" replied the figure imperiously, haughtily. "You know, Setsuna-kun, where I come from such insolence might well earn you a death sentence. But then again…" the figure's voice softened, "Where I am from… is here."

The figure stepped into a patch of light from the window behind her. Her silvered armour gleamed dully, with delicate silver lines traced in webs. Wax seals trailed parchment streamers, and a small antenna protruded from her backpack. A silver helm with sloped and flared cheek flaps obscured her face, along with a silver hood. On her breast hung a thin, fine chain, with twelve links of purest silver; at the end dangled a badge about a handbreadth wide and just as long, shaped like a stylized "I" with three small bars protruding to either side from the middle and a human skull in the center.

The figure raised her hands to her head; a large silver ring, inset with a ruby covering half the middle finger of her left hand, gleamed as it caught the light. She lifted her hood, retracting her gauntlets as she did so. Beneath was a head with long blonde hair, tied back in a thick braid, and an ageless, regal face, young yet weighty with innumerable years. Sad eyes looked back at them, and the faintest hint of a sad, mocking smile played along the lips.

"You know me, my young friends. Yes, it has been thirty-eight millennia since we were together, and yet I still remember you. I am a Senior Inquisitor in the Ordo Malleus, the Daemonhunters of The Emperor's Inquisition. My name… is Evangeline Athanasia Katherine McDowell…"

* * *

For the space of five heartbeats, nobody moved or even dared to breathe. Then the scene erupted in chaos, everyone shouting at once.

"EVA?" yelled Asuna. "Evangeline?" shouted Konoka and Setsuna. Negi couldn't believe it. "M-Master?"

Evangeline laughed, amused; most definitely the same imperious, cold laugh they knew so well. "Oh, bōya. It's been _sooo_ long since I've heard you call me that." She sighed, looking—for a moment—much older than her face earlier suggested. Which, amazingly, still appeared far younger than she truly was.

"_How the hell is that possible?_" Asuna screeched, groping for a chair as her brain immediately tried—and failed—to cope with the number of years suggested by the stranger-Evangeline. "How many _years is that_…?"

"Thirty-eight _thousand_ years…" Setsuna whispered. "It makes one feel… almost inconsequential…"

Evangeline nodded, sadly. "Yes. Sad to say, the 41st Millennium is no different. In fact, I daresay it is worse in terms of feeling inconsequential…"

"Now wait a damn minute!" Asuna snapped. "You… You really expect us to believe that you're… from…"

"…The forty-first millennium? A time so distant as to defy all mortal rational examination? Quite." Eva smiled, without humour.

"That's a bunch of crap!" Asuna snapped. Eva's smile changed, taking on a sinister cast.

"Well, my dear, here are two possible choices. One: I really _am_ Evangeline, as I claim, and thus I _would_ know about you. In fact, I know _more_ about you than you do, having lived well beyond your years. Two: I _learnt_ enough about you to know you and, possibly, deceive you into _thinking_ I am Evangeline. EITHER WAY,"—here Eva slammed her hand on an old desk, gripping the table so hard that the knuckles on her gauntleted hands creaked in protest—"I have no time to play games with you. I have a mission to complete and, with or without you, I will complete it!"

Everyone remained still for a long moment before Asuna averted her gaze, abashed. Konoka took up a seat with Asuna, concern showing in her eyes for her friend. Eva's hands relaxed slightly, easing the tension on her metallic gloves, and Setsuna—who to this point had stayed out of the exchange between Asuna and the Inquisitor—looked Eva fully in the eyes, trying not to wince at the _authority_ that she saw, and felt, within them. Negi merely stood by, amazed the exchange between his erstwhile master and his friends.

"Setsuna-kun! Negi-kun!" came a voice from outside; it was Takahata.

"Oh no!" gasped Setsuna, "Takahata-sensei!"

"Blast… You're too efficient sometimes, Setsuna," muttered Evangeline. She closed her eyes and bowed her head, mouthing something. Her breathing slowed, and a faint haze shimmered around her. Slowly, she faded from view.

Takahata skidded around the corner; Mana—pistols drawn—followed on his heels, with Kotarō right behind her. "Setsuna-kun, Asuna-kun, Konoka-kun, Negi-kun!" he said, "Are you all right?"

"We're fine, sensei," replied Setsuna. She bade Asuna and Konoka remain seated with a wave of her hand. "Whatever it was, it escaped."

"Foolish, to engage on your own…" sighed Takahata, running his hand through his grey hair.

"W-We weren't alone!" protested Negi. "There were four of us—five if you count Kotarō-kun—"

"Negi-kun, that's not what I meant," admonished Takahata gently. "I mean, you should have ascertained your foe's identity before doing anything."

"Takahata-sensei, I am trained for these engagements; I _did_ send for backup, and now you're here," replied Setsuna levelly. "I would humbly suggest that we four stay here and keep lookout for the return of our foe. Meanwhile, the patrols can look for the enemy."

Takahata nodded. "Yes, that would work. Be careful."

Mana flipped her pistols and holstered them. "I'll be getting overtime if your little shenanigans cause me trouble on my patrols, Setsuna," warned the sniper-miko, "and I expect you'll be reporting this, too."

"I'm sure," replied Setsuna levelly.

"C'mon, Inugami," Mana jerked her head, "You and Kū Fei can start making your rounds now."

"But Commander!" pleaded Kotarō, "I'm not starting until five—"

Mana's glare cowed the inu-han'yō into silence. "You and Kū Fei can keep each other company; I'll be on my own circuit. Go find Kū, and report in at seven, when you finish."

Mana turned and trotted away without a backward glance. Kotarō followed, ears low on his head, and Takahata made to leave. He paused, one hand on the doorframe.

"Setsuna-kun?" he said.

"Sir?"

"…Fix the door." He shook his head and walked out.

They all heaved a sigh of relief. Evangeline shimmered back into view.

"Whew…" she breathed, "I'm glad they didn't spot me… That would have caused some trouble."

She rose carefully and strode to the door. Picking it up in her armoured hands, she fixed it into place and muttered an incantation. Splinters of wood flew back into place, as did the hinges. In a moment, it was as good as… before Setsuna had crashed it off its hinges. Which was hardly perfect anyway, considering this was an abandoned building. She extended a single claw and scratched a strange sigil on the door, muttering something. "No eavesdroppers now," she said under her breath.

Satisfied, Evangeline returned to the seat that she had been using. "Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted? Ah, yes, I was establishing my credentials to the doubters."

Asuna winced again. Setsuna turned to Evangeline, thoughtful. "…I believe you are Evangeline, though how it is so… Can you tell us of your mission? What is so dire that you must come from… from…"

"…_From beyond the grim dark veil of space and time, for that which must be sought_," Evangeline replied. Setsuna stirred at the words, a question creeping into her eyes. Eva smiled again, sadly, yet with a small amount of malicious humour that, paradoxically, wasn't humour at all. "You wrote those words, Setsuna. I recall you wrote that poem after… a certain incident. You were _quite_ depressed," Eva drawled, a smirk coming unbidden to her lips. Catching herself, she forced her face to return to an impassive stare.

Setsuna pressed a hand to her head, ruffling her bangs and appearing not to notice Eva's almost-smirk. "You really are Evangeline… Your voice, the _way_ you say things…" Setsuna straightened. "Please, tell us. Why are you here?"

The Inquisitor sat—the chair creaking under her weight—and pressed her hands together, resting her chin atop steepled fingers. Eyes narrowed, as though remembering something far away, she began:

"In 456.M41—the year forty-thousand, four-hundred and fifty-six—the Sisters of Battle from the Order of Our Martyred Lady arrived on the planet of Fargor Secundus on the orders of the Ecclesiarchy to prosecute against heretical cults."

She paused, noticing the blank looks on the faces of her young audience, and permitted a small, rueful smile to show. "Forgive me. I know you are unfamiliar with the organizations of the Imperium, so I shall explain. Excuse me if I digress, but you must understand whence I come…

"In my time, Earth has become known as Holy Terra, whence Mankind launched the glorious crusades that brought the worlds of the galaxy under its dominion. Our Immortal Saviour, the God-Emperor, rests on the Golden Throne, sustained by its power. He is the Lord of the Imperium and the Master of Mankind, which comprises thousands upon thousands of worlds across the galaxy. There are many organizations within the leviathan that is the Imperium's bureaucracy, though few of them are of import to our situation. Suffice to say 'efficient' is not a word to describe them.

"My organization is called the Inquisition. There are three main branches, known as the Holy Orders, or Ordos: the Ordo Malleus, the Ordo Hereticus, and the Ordo Xenos. The third branch, least important to our discussion, are the Alien Hunters, who fight sinister creatures from distant planets with the aid of the Deathwatch Chapter of Space Marines."

"The second Order is known as the Witch Hunters. They root out the three main causes of internal strife in the Imperium: the witch, the heretic, and the mutant. Their Order Militant—their warriors—are the Sisters of Battle, who are also the military arm of the Imperial Church, the Ecclesiarchy. The Hereticus roots out that which corrupts the citizens of the Imperium and preserving Mankind."

She paused briefly, allowing them a moment to absorb what she had said, before continuing. "My Ordo is called the Malleus."

Negi sat up straighter. "The Hammer," he said. Eva cast him a glance of mild irritation before her features relaxed. She nodded, the faintest hint of a smile playing around her lips, appearing pleased that he had accurately translated the name.

"Yes, quite right. I had forgotten that you spoke Latin, bōya. My Order is the Hammer of Daemons, named after our most powerful fighting tool, the Daemonhammer. I trust that you, at least, can understand the connection, and what it means. We, along with the Grey Knights Chapter of the Space Marines—who so embody our creed that, during their battle-prayers, they intone the mantra 'I am the Hammer of Daemons'—fight the scourge of the Ruinous Powers, the Chaos Gods, and their great servants, the daemons.

"I am a Senior Inquisitor in the Malleus. Such is the power of the Inquisitor that no force is beyond our purview. We may requisition any and all of the troops we require in the execution of our mission."

"Wait a moment!" Setsuna exclaimed, "You said that the Hereticus fights witches? And the Malleus fights daemons? You're a _vampire sorceress_! How in the world did you ever get to become an Inquisitor? I'm surprised that they didn't go for all three and make you out to be some kind of alien to boot!"

Evangeline laughed, her voice tinkling like fine glass. "Oh, Setsuna! How observant," she commented dryly. "Yes, you know me as the Dark Evangel. I'm surprised my comrades haven't nicknamed me that…" she muttered to herself. "Unfortunately, things are rarely as cut-and-dried as they seem."

_I'll remember that_, Setsuna thought to herself. Eva quirked an eyebrow and continued.

"The purpose of the Hereticus—and the Malleus, too—is to fight against _unsanctioned_, or _rogue_, psykers. We also develop _sanctioned_ psykers: those psychics whose control is deemed great enough to be of service to Mankind. I guess I'm one of those whose powers are under control," she said lightly, though with just a touch of snarkiness.

"_Great_," Asuna broke in, the sarcasm dripping off of her words, "So they went and gave you _more_ power? What, now you have more smoke-and-mirror tricks?"

Evangeline leaned forward, her face lit by an unholy inner light. "Oh, no, Asuna, it is more akin to hellfire and damnation. Believe me, my dear; you do not want to find out just what I am capable of."

The light in Eva's eyes was unsettling to say the least. Asuna curled into herself, shrinking into her cushion.

"Now," said Eva briskly, continuing her narrative as though she had never been interrupted, "As I said in the beginning, the Sisters of Battle were on the planet of Fargor Secundus, executing the will of the Church. There were rumours of heretical cells causing civil unrest, and the Sisters were there to make inquiries. The leader of the Sisters was Canoness Commander Alyssa, an able Sister if ever there was one.

"Unfortunately for her, she was, perhaps, over-qualified for the job. The Chaos cult saw her immediately—and rightly—as a threat to their designs. The cult leaders threw off their disguises and rose up to destroy Alyssa's Mission immediately." Eva smiled chillingly. "Pity it didn't work out for them.

"Sensibly—since she had but a few squads of Sisters accompanying her—Alyssa retreated from the capital of Fargor Secundus and sent a coded message back to her Commandery, requesting reinforcements. This call was forwarded to both the Hereticus and Malleus branches in-sector, and they scrambled reinforcements. Quite quickly, I might add, considering the colossal bureaucratic ineptitude of the Imperium at large."

Eva smirked, much to the discomfiture of her audience. "Um, Evangeline-san?" said Setsuna, a bit timidly. "Um, you work for this 'Imperium', yes? For the Inquisition, no less? Should you be saying such things about your own people…?"

Eva tossed her head and laughed. "Ah, Setsuna," she said. "You think that I will be beheaded upon my return to my own time? No one can hear me here, and you don't count. None will live to tell the tale of my subversive opinions… except me."

A deep sadness marred Eva's face as she seemed to realize the meaning behind her words. She rested her head on the back of her right hand, sighed, then continued, her voice still strong despite the weight of duty that appeared to press on her.

"I was one of the Inquisitors dispatched to Fargor Secundus in response to Alyssa's messages. Brother-Captain Osmond of the Grey Knights was in sector on Chapter business, and so made planetfall immediately upon hearing the news. Bless the Grey Knights: ever so eager to combat the Great Enemy… However, I knew that this mission needed something more than even the martial prowess of the Astartes. I met secretly with my opposite number from the Hereticus, Lord Inquisitor Decius. He is quite… odd. He appears effete, for a man and an Inquisitor, and his mannerisms are peculiar, but he has a sharp, shrewd mind and, whatever faults he might have, more clever thoughts cross his mind than even I might begin to imagine.

"We sent a joint dispatch, coded with the highest authority between us, to receive three assets. First among these, and one that I am loath to employ to this day, was _Exterminatus_. Can you imagine what this is?"

Asuna and Setsuna shook their heads, though both were worried by the sinister tone of Evangeline's voice. Negi's face paled visibly, and he shook. "You… You wanted to… _exterminate_ the people on this planet?"

Eva nodded. "Aye, that's what it is. Though I certainly didn't _want_ to use it," she said sharply, causing Negi to wince slightly. "Exterminatus wipes out every living thing on the planet; no exceptions. It's only used in the direst of circumstances. Or so we are led to believe…" She sighed once more, deeply and with regret. "You must understand," she said quietly, almost pleadingly, "We of the Inquisition know better than _anyone_ what is at stake: the future of humanity. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. If a hundred must fall that a million might live, we will see it done. If a planet must die so that the galaxy is saved, _we will do it without a second thought!_"

Eva slammed her fist on the table, shattering it to splinters. Her face was frozen, her eyes wide and staring, filled with rage. Her breath came in short gasps. Huffing, she slowly straightened up, flexing her hand. She brushed her hair distractedly, regaining her composure.

"I am sorry," she said. "As I told you, it is a weighty responsibility that we of the Inquisition bear. The fate of our race depends on us, and we walk but a centimetre from damnation…"

Eva paused for a long moment before resuming her tale. "Our other requests… Well, they were still means for dealing death; no less sinister, perhaps, but maybe less callous, I think. We quickly received our second request: a Grey Knights Strike Cruiser. The finest stellar ships of the Space Marines, we needed them to provide orbital bombardment to strike at the ground forces."

Setsuna raised a questioning hand. "Um, Evangeline-san… You said that you were permitted to use 'Exterminatus', and yet you ask for an additional… ship? Is it really a ship? What waters does it sail?"

Eva chuckled. "Yes, it was a ship, though not a traditional one that sails on water. This mighty vessel plies the stars, transporting the Grey Knights to and fro in their never-ending quest to combat Chaos."

Setsuna shook her head. "But did you not say that the Grey Knights made planetfall immediately upon hearing the gist of things? Would they not _already_ have their own ship with them? Is it not the same ship of which you speak?"

Eva nodded. "True. However, the Grey Knights, and indeed most of the Adeptus Astartes, do not use their orbital ships for surface deployment. They make use of Thunderhawk Gunships for sub-orbital deployment, or else Drop Pods. Besides, a certain amount of politics enters play. As Inquisitors, we can commandeer any force we deem necessary in the pursuit of our mission—and a pair of Senior Inquisitors is a formidable concentration of authority—but the Grey Knights are a sovereign Chapter of Space Marines, and will not heel to us simply by our orders alone. Besides, I like to keep the peace," she smirked, "it's my job.

"So, we _requested_—strongly—the use of the Strike Cruiser _Pride of Argovia_ as our staging post and as a firing platform to deliver orbital bombardments at key locations. While unpredictable, judicious use of orbital strikes can aid ground forces immensely. The Grey Knights are _not_ authorized to execute Exterminatus; the Hereticus would send a ship of their own to deal with that at the proper time.

"Our _third_ request…" Eva murmured, and smiled that chilling smile again. _She does that way too much_, thought Asuna. _She seems even more evil than our Eva_. "Well," Eva continued, "our third request was a bit of a… hahaha! I was going to say, 'a long shot'… Hahahah!" Eva laid her hand across her stomach, laughing quite loudly. Bemused, Negi, Asuna, Konoka, and Setsuna looked at each other, wondering what Eva was (going on) about.

"I'm sorry, my friends," she panted, "I just realized the irony of what I was saying, but it's black humour at best. We agreed that this mission would require… subtlety. And so our third request was… an assassin."

"An assassin?" Konoka whispered, her lilting Kansai accent hushed with trepidation. Setsuna jumped; she had forgotten that Konoka had accompanied them. Setsuna turned to her mistress. Konoka was pale; she nibbled a fingernail on her right hand while her left tugged anxiously at her hair. She might have presented the picture of a coy young woman, were it not for her eyes, downcast and contracted in fear.

"Aye, and one of the coldest dealers of death: a sniper," said Eva. All traces of humour were gone. "Decius and I weren't going to hold our breath waiting for an Assassin Operative. They are among the most secretive of all organizations, the Assassin Temples, maybe even more so than the Inquisition. Anyway, we received a coded message some time later after our first brief planetfall that our assassin had taken up residence on Fargor Secundus. He used an intermediary to inform us that, should we discover any targets of opportunity, he would strike with all due speed and precision to eliminate it."

Eva's mouth again quirked into a tiny smirk. "What that meant was, he was giving _us_ the tacit approval to give _him_ his targets." The smirk widened. "I liked that particular operative. Yulmet was his alias; it means 'Stalker' in the Eldar tongue. Certainly, he has earned the wrath of Ulthwé; he has struck down enough of their own irreplaceable kind to make him Public Enemy Number One in their eyes…

"Anyway, I have digressed yet again. Most assassins work on the express orders of their masters, the High Lords of Terra. Few will allow themselves to be ordered by anyone other than their direct handlers, but I suppose that this one didn't mind being given a certain amount of direction, which was good for us…" She trailed off, then muttered, "Usually, if we _want_ one, it doesn't matter a damn to Terra, and then when we're not _looking_, they come in and put a bullet in someone's head or stick a needle in someone's neck—"

Eva stopped abruptly. She stood, coming gracefully to her feet, her armour and weapons apparently not an encumbrance. "I think perhaps I will stop here for the moment. I have spoken much, yet I have said little, save that relating to the workings of the Imperium and the Inquisition." She eyed them shrewdly. "I daresay that you won't go trumpeting this information to the masses, yes?" They all nodded. "Good. Bōya, I find that I am hungry. Perhaps you will see fit to find me something to eat, as an honoured guest? And a change of scenery might be in order. We have stayed here overlong, and I think that I wish to remain hidden. You can find us somewhere private, I hope?"

Negi scrambled to his feet. Setsuna rose more slowly, proffering her hand to Konoka. The Ojō took Setsuna's hand absently as she came to her feet, and would not look Setsuna in the eye.

"Um…" Asuna, having subsided under Evangeline's leaden gaze early on, spoke for the first time in what seemed like hours. "I don't know if it's the best place for us, but what about our dorm-room? We're always gathering in there anyway, so _we_ wouldn't be all that suspicious, but for Eva-san—Eva-_sama_…"

Evangeline nodded. "A sound choice. We can ward the room against interference from any outsiders." She peered at Negi. "I trust you _have_ warded the room, bōya?"

Negi flushed. "Ah, well, yes, but only the basics…"

Eva gave a tiny sigh. "Well, I suppose it's to be expected. I'm used to a greater degree of protection in my own time, not to mention that I have higher standards…" She stopped and looked 'round at Asuna again, her face becoming half-amused, half-grimace. "As for food, I trust, dear, that _you_ aren't going to cook? After all, it would _not_ do to kill your Eva-_sama_. I remember the _one_ time I tried a meal you made; I don't want a repeat…"

Asuna flushed even deeper than Negi. Setsuna raised a hand to Asuna, forestalling the latter's rejoinder. "We'll order something from the cafeteria. I will go with Asuna to collect it, and in the meantime, Negi and Konoka can go to organize the room. Ojōsama?"

"Hmm?" Konoka blinked rapidly, looking 'round at her protectoress. "Ah, yes, Setchan. Go with Asuna. I'll make sure the room's tidy, and put on tea…" She trailed off distractedly, still chewing on her fingernail. Setsuna stepped lightly towards her, drawing the finger away from her lips.

"Are you alright, Ojōsama?" Setsuna asked her quietly. Konoka drew her hand away slightly, her cheeks growing pinkish, her eyes trembly.

"Yes, Setchan. I'm okay." She dropped her hand.

Setsuna bowed. "As you say, Ojōsama. Come, Asuna; we will go."

Asuna and Konoka made their way out of the door, followed by Konoka, with Setsuna pulling up the rear. Setsuna paused in the doorway, half-turning to look back, but Evangeline had vanished. She blinked in perplexity. _She disappeared…_

Called by Asuna, who told her to get a move on, Setsuna shook her head and exited, leaving the empty classroom in darkness once again.

* * *

Chapter Two: End

* * *

**Notes:**

1) This is a list of Shinmeiryū techniques (by type) that Setsuna used in this chapter:  
-ken [剣]: "Sword Technique"  
-sen [閃]: "Flash Technique"  
-zan [斬]: "Slashing Technique"  
Ougi [奥義]: "Ultimate Secret Technique"  
Hiken [秘剣]: "Hidden Sword Technique"  
Kessen Ougi [決戦奥義]: "Decisive Battle Ultimate Secret Technique" (seems to be only applicable to Shin Raikouken, most probably a powerful area-effect technique)

Zanganken (斬岩剣; "Stone-Cleaving Sword"): Ougi, infuses ki into the sword to cut a boulder in half.

Zanmaken (斬魔剣; "Evil-Cutting Sword"): Ougi, disperses demonic spirits.

Zanmaken Ni-no-Tachi (斬魔剣 弐の太刀; "Evil-Cutting Sword, Second Strike"): Ougi, cuts a demonic spirit behind a person without injuring the person.

Shin Raikōken (真・雷光剣; "True Lightning Sword"): Kessen Ougi, infuses lightning energy into the sword and causes an explosion that destroys an area. Eva references the ultimate Shinmeiryū technique, glad that she was not (again) on the receiving end of it.

Zantetsusen (斬鉄閃; "Iron-Cutting Flash"): Ougi (?), releases ki in a spiral fashion to attack the enemy.

Hien Battō Kasumi-kiri (飛燕抜刀霞斬り; "Flying Sparrow Sword-Draw Mist-Cutter"): Hiken, instantly cuts multiple objects with two swords. To perform _Hien Battō Kasumi-kiri_, Setsuna needed a second sword; thus, she summoned her artefact wakizashi immediately before performing the move.

2) The words _ki_ and _chi_ refer to the mystic energy (_qi_) that people like Setsuna use to enhance their martial prowess. Magic and _chi_ are related, as they are natural/life energies. Several volumes of _Negima!_ have enlightening discussions on these principles, including Vol.11 (92nd Period), Vols. 11&12 (Lexicon Magicum Negimarium), and Vol.19 (very near the end of 172nd Period, describing the technique called _kankahō_).

3) For those who have not encountered the word before, or don't play Warhammer 40,000, _daemon_ is pronounced the same way as _demon_ (DEE-mon; stress the long "e"). Daemons in WH40K are monsters from an alternate realm, known as the Empyrean, the Immaterium, and the Warp. They can possess people (especially unshielded psychics) and themselves often have psychic powers as well as other prodigious powers.

4) As Evangeline says, there are many, _many_ divisions of Imperial bureaucracy. Here are some of the larger departments:

**The Administratum:** The real "bureaucrats": civil servants of the Imperium. The faceless clerks and scribes that keep the Imperium wrapped up in red tape.

**The Departmento Munitorum:** The military arm of the bureaucracy. They oversee all aspects of the activities relating to the Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy. The Commissariat is an independent body that deploys centrally-trained Commissars to oversee the morale of the Imperial Guard regiments and guide the officer cadre. Since most Commissars were originally Storm Troopers, they're a fairly humourless bunch, and no strangers to combat.

**The Adeptus Ministorum:** Also known as the Ecclesiarchy, this is the Imperial Church. They profess the Imperial Creed and work to bring all planets to worship the Emperor as God and Lord of the Imperium.

**The Schola Progenium:** A school for the orphaned sons and daughters of the nobility, the Schola trains these orphans to love the Emperor and to repay His beneficence. Most will become Storm Troopers (or Sisters of Battle if they are both women and pious), while the most dedicated may rise to the Commissariat.

**The Scholastica Psykana:** A school for training and sanctioning psykers. Located on Terra, this is where budding psychics are sent to develop their powers.

**The Adeptus Astra Telepathica:** These psykers, called Astropaths, transmit psychic messages between planets, across the gulf of space and through the Void that is the Warp.

**The Navis Nobilite:** The Navigators' Guilds. Navigators, like Astropaths, are psykers. With the help of a third "pineal" eye, they guide ships through the Warp.

**The Adeptus Mechanicus:** Known as the Cult Mechanicus or the Machine-Cult of Mars, these tech-adepts—called _magi_—build and maintain weapons, wargear, and vehicles throughout the Imperium, as well as seeking out remnants of tech-lore stored in STCs (Standard Template Constructs) from before the Dark Age of Technology. They also command the Titan Legions, directing the god-machines of war.

**The High Lords of Terra:** A conglomeration of the highest-level Adepts, combining church, military, and state, as well as other departments. They are the ones who "enact the will of the Emperor", as they understand it.

**The Officio Assassinorum:** AKA the Assassin Temples. These agents specialise in (what else?) assassination missions. Sanctioned only on the authority of the High Lords of Terra, there are snipers, moles, close combat killing machines, and psyker-assassins.

**The Inquisition:** Servants of the Emperor who fight the daemon, the heretic, and the alien—the three greatest threats to the Imperium of Man. The three branches are the Ordo Malleus (Daemonhunters), Ordo Hereticus (Witch Hunters), and the Ordo Xenos (Alien Hunters), whose Chambers Militant are the Grey Knights (Adeptus Astartes), Sisters of Battle (Adeptus Sororitas, also part of the Ecclesiarchy), and the Deathwatch (Adeptus Astartes).

**The Adeptus Astartes:** Also known as the Space Marines, they are the genetically enhanced super-soldiers of the 41st millennium. With these enhancements, as well as superior training and wargear, they are the pinnacle of the Imperium's military might. They are descended from the Primarchs, twenty supermen who themselves were created via a cloning process from the Emperor Himself in the 31st millennium. Space Marines venerate their Primarch as father, and through them the Emperor. Twenty Legions, each ten-thousand strong, were created for the Primarchs to command. Of the twenty, two were lost before they came into their prime, nine rebelled against the Emperor to join Primarch Horus the Warmaster on the side of Chaos, and nine remained loyal. After the Horus Heresy, the Legions were broken into Chapters; there are about 1000 Chapters of 1000 men each. One Chapter per Legion retained the original Legion heraldry, with the others splitting off to form new traditions. The key to the Space Marines is their _gene-seed_: stored in a pair of "progenoid glands", this seed is implanted in aspiring Marines to transform them, along with seventeen other special redundant organs.

The eight loyalist Legions—and some of their famous Successor Chapters—are:

**Dark Angels [I]:** Angels of Absolution, Angels of Redemption, Angels of Vengeance, Consecrators, Disciples of Caliban, Guardians of the Covenant. The Successors to Legion I are collectively known as "the Unforgiven."

**White Scars [V]:** Marauders, Destroyers, Rampagers, Storm Lords

**Space Wolves [VI]:** Wolf Brothers

**Imperial Fists [VII]:** Crimson Fists, Black Templars, Soul Drinkers [?]

**Blood Angels [IX]:** Angels Encarmine, Angels Sanguine, Angels Vermillion, Flesh Tearers, Blood Drinkers, Lamenters, Knights of Blood [Renegade]

**Iron Hands [X]:** Red Talons, Brazen Claws

**Ultramarines [XIII]:** Approx. 23 Second Founding Chapters. The Ultramarine gene-seed accounts for over half of the Chapters founded since the Horus Heresy, with over twenty subsequent Foundings in the last 10,000 years.

**Salamanders [XVIII]:** None known

**Raven Guard [XIX]:** Black Guard, Revilers, Raptors

The great Primarch of the Ultramarines, Roboute Guilliman, laid down the Codex Astartes, the military and spiritual treatise that has formed the backbone of the Adeptus Astartes for thousands of years.

And as decreed by the Emperor Himself: "They are Space Marines, **and they shall know no fear**."


	3. Expositus

So here we go, with Chapter 3 of "Long Shadows Over Mahora". I hope you enjoy it!

**DISCLAIMER:** Negima and everything that goes along with it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Ken Akamatsu (who made it) and everyone else (who got a slice of the pie). I stand in no way to profit from my work (or his). Though I wish I could.

Likewise, Warhammer 40,000 and everything that goes along with it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Games Workshop, their subsidiaries, and their affiliates. I stand in no way to profit from incorporating their work into my own. Though I hope it will continue to be awesome.

**Chapter Two Recap:** Asuna is worried about Negi, despite the fact that he seems to have healed from the attack. Setsuna goes to the site of the attack and tries to probe the area for clues. The magic is far too strong for her to manage, even warded as she is, and her pactio is damaged. Kotarō finds her and tells her that Negi is acting strangely and refuses to act like a proper rival. Setsuna decides to find Negi, Asuna, and Konoka and tell them what she found out. When they meet up, a sudden burst of dark energy draws their attention. They assault a disused classroom and discover that the intruder is one they would never have guessed: It is Evangeline, now a Daemonhunter of the Emperor's Inquisition in the 41st Millennium. Inquisitor Evangeline tells them that she is on a mission, and explains some of the workings of the Imperium and the Inquisition. She does not go into detail about her specific reason for coming (back) to Mahora, but they adjourn for a late lunch break. Now, Eva will soon reveal her mission…

* * *

**Long Shadows Over Mahora**

* * *

Chapter Three: Expositus

* * *

"Grrrrrrr!" Asuna growled, impatient. "We've been to the cafeteria and back already and she _still_ hasn't shown up!"

Asuna paced back and forth between the beds and the doorway, fairly seething with impatience at the delay in Evangeline's arrival. The evening sun was filtering through the window, casting a glowing light into the small kitchen. Negi and Konoka were seated at the kitchen table; both were in meditation, with a magic circle twinkling softly beneath their feet. Magic power was flowing undiluted out of Konoka in soft waves. Negi was using the magic circle to siphon Konoka's power and redirect it into the wards built in around the room. Dean Konoe had long before warded Konoka's room against physical and spiritual interference in order to protect his granddaughter and heir; when Negi had arrived, the boy-teacher had placed his own magic wards to add to the protection.

Setsuna briefly entertained the question as to how Asuna, who had lived with Konoka in all their time at Mahora, had not disrupted the magic wards with her Magic Cancel ability. She resolved that Magic Cancel was not an active ability; usually, magic had to be directed at Asuna for it to work. It would not interrupt an "always-on" magic like wards. Though at least they might be "disrupted" if not "cancelled"…

With that question answered for the moment, Setsuna was again distracted by Asuna's pacing. Setsuna could maybe understand why Asuna was angry; Evangeline had taken a particular pleasure in making sport of Asuna since her arrival, and now it seemed that Eva was giving another affront by being late and abusing their hospitality. However, despite the fact that Setsuna was not the direct target of this effrontery, it did nothing to soothe her own jangling nerves…

* * *

It had been over half an hour since they had taken their leave of Inquisitor Evangeline. Asuna and Setsuna had gone to the cafeteria to pick up bentō for their guest. Not daring to give offence by scrimping on food, they picked two of the best for Eva and one each for themselves, Negi, and Konoka. Asuna almost cried when she saw the bill, but Setsuna—thinking fast—said that they were hosting a late luncheon for a guest of Dean Konoe, and that they should send the bill back with them, to be forwarded to the Dean's office later, care of Konoka. As Konoka was beloved of the Dean, and Asuna and Setsuna were beloved of Konoka, the cashier hardly raised a fuss.

"Good cover story, Setsuna-san." Asuna looked sideways at her friend, but Setsuna was taciturn once again. "Um, Setsuna-san?"

"What, Asuna-san?" Setsuna almost snapped back at the redhead, but held off the rough edge of her tongue. Asuna had done nothing to deserve it.

Asuna blinked, sensing the underlying brusqueness of Setsuna's reply, but moved on. "Are you worried about Konoka?" Setsuna flicked an irritated look at Asuna. _Bingo_, Asuna thought. "You are, aren't you?"

"Yes, Asuna-san, I am worried," retorted Setsuna. "I have been nothing but worried ever since the attack on Negi-sensei, and Evangeline's appearance has done nothing to quell my fears. If she is indeed a Daemonhunter of the future Inquisition… That goes to some lengths to explain what might have happened."

"Devils and Daemons… I _hate_ getting mixed up with this supernatural mumbo-jumbo!" Asuna pouted. "And Negi always has something to do with it!"

"With _us_, as it were," replied Setsuna. "Certainly Negi-sensei is a prodigy, with a prodigious amount of magic, but so too is Konoka-ojōsama, not to mention all of the barriers here, the magical teachers, Evangeline, the World Tree…"

"All right, all right, I get it!" Asuna waved her arms in submission, the three clasped bentō flailing. "So Mahora's a centre for magical mishaps and whatnot, BUT WHY DOES IT ALWAYS HAVE TO BE EVIL FORCES? Why can't some _good guys_ show up, eh? You know: some grizzled, handsome magic-swordsmen ready to help the damsel in distress?"

Asuna's eyes lit up as she thought about the kind of man _she'd_ want to have rescue her. Setsuna could only shake her head; Asuna's preference was for older men, and grizzled, as she described. Takahata-sensei, for example…

"Unfortunately for you," Setsuna drawled, a rare sardonic tone creeping into her voice, "we received Lady Inquisitor Evangeline-san instead."

Asuna shuddered. "Rrrr… I have almost had enough of her in _this_ time. Now we hear that she has a future self that's even _more_ powerful, _more_ ruthless, consorting with the forces of _demons_…"

"Um, Asuna-san?" Setsuna returned, her voice containing a hint of sarcasm, "_this _Evangeline-san does not _consort_ with demons; she _banishes_ them."

"As if that matters!" Asuna cried. "She's demon-bred and probably an even more nasty piece of work than before! Demonic powers aren't trusty at all! They—"

Asuna stopped, blinking and dropping silent quickly. Setsuna had turned towards her, an accusing look on her face. Asuna said nothing more, and they walked in tense silence.

_You should be glad that I see you as a friend, Asuna,_ thought Setsuna, _else I might have interpreted your words as "demon-kin are untrustworthy." I know what I am, but I choose to do good for my lady Konoka, like Evangeline-san has apparently chosen to do in her time._

A worm of irritation crept into Setsuna's mind as she thought this. Asuna—blessed though she was with friends, allies, and acquaintances of the magical persuasion, and gifted (or cursed) with the rare and potent Magic Cancel ability—did not see just how much she and her friends differed from ordinary mortals. Asuna might well be _indifferent_ to the "differences" of others, accepting them "as is", but she had to realize that not all people were so generous, and that some would casually exploit the feelings of others against those whose differences they wished to belittle or hurt…

* * *

And now, Asuna's pacing was setting Setsuna's nerves on edge. _If she doesn't stop that soon, I just might have to savage her…_

"Hey, hold on…" Asuna stopped in her tracks. "Evangeline-san is a demon, right?"

"Right…" replied Setsuna, still a little irritated.

"And there's some kind of magic barrier around Mahora, right?"

"True…" said Konoka slowly.

"So why," wondered Asuna, "is Evangeline able to get in?"

"Black magic," came a deadpan voice, "the same kind I'll use on you if you don't stop whining, Asuna."

Asuna froze at the sound of the voice, and it wasn't just her; the others also tensed up when they heard it. Inquisitor Evangeline loomed in the doorway. The air around her shimmered faintly, as though in a heat haze.

"I cloaked my presence," she said, raising a hand to forestall Negi's obvious question. "It is not so difficult to do; I've had _many_ years to perfect my art," she drawled.

She looked around. The haze faded away, to show the full armoured form of Inquisitor Evangeline. The armour was still there, and all its trappings, covered now by a long cloak of some nondescript dark cloth. "Hmm… You did well, bōya. The wards here should suffice for the time being."

Negi smiled, happy to have been given a rare compliment by his master. The future Evangeline was not as callous or cruel towards Negi as the Eva of their time-period was; the Inquisitor did not appear to draw joy from belittling Negi. _Perhaps something changed_, thought Setsuna. _Something might have happened—will have happened—that alters Evangeline's attitude towards Negi-sensei. I wonder what…_

Negi spoke back, interrupting Setsuna's thoughts. "…little extra time, since the wards hadn't weakened much. Maybe a bit in the last week—I hadn't been able to restore them since… since…"

"…Since _what_, bōya?" Eva asked sternly. Negi flushed, uncomfortable.

Setsuna stepped in, her face set to brook no argument from Evangeline. "Since the incident just about two weeks ago, where Negi-sensei was put into hospital."

"Something happened that put you into _hospital_? And you didn't think it fit to tell me?" Eva snapped. "Bōya, when I took you on as my apprentice, I had hoped that a little practical instruction in life-or-death matters might make you a little _keener_ to figure out the _important_ things in life. Keeping things from your Master is hardly the way to go on living healthily and—"

"With respect, Eva-sama," cut in Setsuna, "_you_ did most of the talking upon our meeting. Certainly, it was _not_ our intention to keep this information from you for long. In fact, I think that I speak for all of us that we would probably have told you of this fact sooner rather than later, as soon as the opportunity arose."

Evangeline blinked. Then, with a slow smile, she drawled, "_Well_, Setsuna-kun. _That_ was quite an eloquent defence of the bōya's stupidity. I think you're in love."

Setsuna blushed crimson from the base of her pale neck to the roots of her black hair. _How _dare_ she…! And in the presence of my Ojōsama…!_

Recognizing the slight whistling sound coming from Setsuna as the sharp intake and exhalation of air through her nose—as her over-taxed brain fought to control a killing urge—Konoka rose quickly and looped her arms gently around Setsuna's. "Setchan, don't be angry," Konoka pleaded, "Eva-san is just teasing you."

Setsuna took a deep breath and exhaled loudly once more through her nose, the colour of her face returning to its normal hue. Making a jerky bow to Evangeline, Setsuna allowed herself to be led to a chair by Konoka, the latter seating herself to Setsuna's right, checking the temperature of the rice cooker nearby and deeming it ready to be served.

Negi had remained sitting in the chair to Konoka's right; now he lifted a hand and pointed at the small fridge. It opened, and the six bentō flew out to land on the table between the chopsticks, bowls, and glasses at each place setting. He hopped up and went to fetch a jug of cool water from the fridge as well, shutting the door firmly behind him. Negi scooted his chair closer to Konoka as he sat down, and Asuna moved slowly to her own seat next to Setsuna. She seated herself with a furtive, abashed look at the swordswoman, but Setsuna ignored her.

Evangeline eyed the setup intently. "I suppose you haven't a chair of size for me… No matter." Her eyes narrowed in concentration. Joints hissed as Evangeline removed each armoured piece—gauntlets and greaves, gorget and breastplate—until they were piled at her feet. She shivered a little as the outside air pressed on her, wrapping her cloak closer. "Ah… It is rare that I find myself outside of armour… Rarer still that I am ever outside of combat," she grinned drolly. The others stared at each other, not sure how to respond. Eva's smile widened. "Come now, my friends. That was a little humour; as they say, 'waratte mo ii'… No? Oh well…" She eyed the pile of armour. "Asuna, move that for me if you would; I don't want to leave a mess in Konoka's kitchen."

"Why me?" Asuna snapped back.

Eva eyed her coolly. "Because _you're_ the brute here. I'm not here to make the bōya work, and I doubt that Konoka could lift it… And as if Shinmei-kun would let her near my weapons…"

Konoka flushed in embarrassment, Setsuna in anger, Asuna in disgust, and Negi in discomfort. "Besides," Eva continued, blithely ignoring her companions' moods, "I have ensorcelled my armour; it would be quite stupid of any of you to touch it unwarily."

"So you pick me instead?" Asuna cried. "Thanks a bunch!"

Eva snorted. "Humph. You _do_ have Magic Cancel, don't you?" she asked, as though Asuna was unaware of this fact. "Then you should be fine."

Muttering imprecations, Asuna did as she was bidden. With great care she picked each piece up in two hands and brought them over to the end of the bed, where she leaned them against the bed frame as gently as she could, ensuring that the pieces wouldn't roll.

Meanwhile, Eva had sat down at her place at the table, the cloak fluttering gently as she did. "Um, Evangeline-san?" asked Konoka timidly, "I could take your coat if you want me to…"

"No, thank you, my dear," replied Eva. "I feel exposed without wearing _something_; Setsuna-kun knows the feeling of being unarmed." Setsuna nodded slowly as Eva eyed her bentō. "Hmm… This smells good…" she muttered. Opening the first box—lacquered crimson—she made a tiny gasp, a little squeal of delight. "Garlic tempura shrimp and curry rice!"

Setsuna and Asuna exchanged worried glances. "Um, Evangeline-san…" began Setsuna, "I'm sorry that we got you garlic—"

"Hardly," said Evangeline coolly, a tiny smile on her face. "You should know, I haven't indulged any of my former vampiric traits in several thousand years, so garlic—if ever it was a problem—is not so now." She sighed exquisitely. "You have no idea just how bland Imperial food can get sometimes. Oh, there are delicacies, certainly, but the sludge they dredge up for field-rations is appalling…" She drew in a breath of the warm garlic and curry. "You chose admirably."

Setsuna went a pale shade of pink; Asuna harrumphed and blushed, muttering, "Setsuna chose that one…"

Eva overheard the comment and smirked. "I wonder what the other one is…?" she mused aloud, turning her attention to the royal-blue bentō. "Asuna, did _you_ by chance choose the other?"

Asuna's blush deepened but she said nothing. Eva's eyebrow quirked. "I'll save that one for later; it looks fine, but I'll reserve judgement until I've tasted it." She waved a hand and sent the box flying back into the fridge. "Now, to business…"

Negi leaned forward. "The incident—"

Evangeline snapped up a peremptory hand, startling Negi as a force of air pushed him into the backrest of his seat. "Bōya, I meant our meal," she said, as though Negi were rather too dull to have understood the "real" reason that she was there. "You lot went to the trouble of accommodating me; I suppose I should take advantage." She smiled. "_Itadakimasu_," she intoned, and picked up her chopsticks. The others followed suit.

There was no talk or discussion as they ate. Asuna spent most of her time attempting to lean surreptitiously away from Evangeline, as though her very presence was a threat; it was unnerving to say the least. Setsuna spent the meal irritated by Asuna's overt wariness of Evangeline, doubtful that the Inquisitor would slaughter them where they stood (or sat, or knelt, or whatever!). She also eyed Konoka, Negi, and Evangeline by turns, scanning each as they went about the business of eating. Konoka likewise spent her time watching Setsuna, occasionally glancing at Evangeline, ready to fetch more drink for their honoured guest or more rice for any who wanted it. Negi spent his time enthralled at the sight of Evangeline; he looked fit to burst with questions for his Master, but restrained himself with effort.

For her part, Evangeline ate with the air of one who wishes to glut herself but diligently restrains the urge to gorge. Instead, she took great delight in each and every bite, chewing slowly and savouring the meal piece by piece.

Finally, nearly half an hour later, they had completed their meal. "_Gochisō-sama deshita_," sighed Evangeline. "That was excellent. Setsuna, Asuna, I presume you were wise enough to hold onto the bill for this little feast?"

Setsuna fumbled in her pockets, withdrawing the check. "I have it," she said, holding it up slightly.

"I'll take that," said Evangeline, turning her hand up to receive it. Setsuna paused.

"Ah, Evangeline-san," she stalled, "I told the cashier that we might have the Dean take care of it…"

"And so he shall," replied Evangeline smoothly. "I have to speak with old Konoemon at some point; I may as well put this on his tab." She smirked, a trait that spoke to a very visible remnant of the old Eva: her air of superiority. "Relax, Setsuna-kun; though I'm sure that you and Red—" she glanced at Asuna "—probably almost died of shock when you saw the bill, rest assured that you will not be charged for this. I'll make sure that the Dean pays for it, and will be compensated for it. After all…" Her tone darkened. "After all, I am here to prevent the destruction of Holy Terra; I think a little bentō feast is well worth it."

She sat in silence for several moments. Konoka rose and, together with Negi, quietly cleared the dishes, returning with tea and adzuki taiyaki. Evangeline quirked an eyebrow at the confection before her, a tiny smile playing about the corner of her mouth.

"Um… We didn't want to go broke with dessert… so we got taiyaki…" Asuna offered, mumbling a little at the end, embarrassed. Eva picked one up delicately and took a nibble.

"Mmm… It's fresh," she said, smacking her lips gently. "I like it."

Asuna heaved a sigh of relief. It _had_ been her idea to get taiyaki, so the fact that Evangeline liked it meant that Asuna wouldn't be on the receiving end of any more taunts.

_Maybe._

"_Now_," said Evangeline with a small, forceful sigh, wiping the corner of her mouth daintily with a pale yellow handkerchief, "tell me about 'the incident', as you called it. I must admit that I _do not_ recall every single magical mishap that you have ever suffered, merely the anecdotes. Refresh my memory, if you would."

Asuna and Setsuna looked at each other, then at Negi. "Um…" Negi fidgeted, "Setsuna-san, you were the one who told me what happened the first time, so maybe you should tell Master."

"Very well, Negi-sensei," Setsuna acquiesced. For nearly a quarter of an hour, Setsuna told Evangeline what she had told Negi the first time: the fight, the outcome, the magic rain and the explosive magic power. She did not consciously omit any facts, but she held back on her reservations about their adversary.

"Well, that is the common-knowledge version of this sad tale," interjected Evangeline, when Setsuna paused for breath. "However, I sense that there is more to this story than you have volunteered. From what I gather of your tone, there was something else that happened, something that I interrupted with my arrival…"

Setsuna winced slightly. She had not yet had time to discuss her findings with Asuna or Konoka, or even Negi-sensei. "You are correct, of course, Evangeline-sama," said Setsuna, maintaining her dignity despite the looming reprisals that might come from her friends. "Unfortunately, the next part of this story will be novel to everyone… at least, up to the point where we met Evangeline-sama."

Setsuna drew a deep breath. "After our classes today, I returned to the site of the attack. I wanted to see it myself, to see if there was some clue left over as to the nature of our assailant. Using my prepared talismans and my pactio Sica, I opened my inner eye and gazed upon the site."

_Damnation_, thought Evangeline. _That stupid half-breed, meddling with forces that she well should not. She just might invoke the wrath of the Warp._

Setsuna paused in her recounting, noticing that Evangeline's eyes had narrowed. "When… When I looked on the site," continued Setsuna unsteadily, "I saw… I saw… infinity. I saw stars wink out, planets burn. I saw all-devouring black holes tear space apart. I saw endless des… truc… tion… …"

Setsuna trembled, drawing her arms around herself. She shivered in fright.

"Dammit!" yelled Evangeline. "_This_ is why only sanctioned Daemonhunters undertake such rituals. Negi! Find me a pot and boil some water immediately!"

Negi leaped to obey. He dashed to the cupboard under the sink, rattling around for a pot of size. Finding one—a sturdy, hard-fired clay vessel—he dumped it into the sink, throwing open the faucet. Muttering an incantation, he heated the water as it flowed until steam rose from it.

Setsuna cried out in mortal terror. A vague purplish aura grew around her, outlining her hands and her head, and burning purple tears crept out from her eyes. Her pactio card lit up in her jacket pocket and began to burn a hole in it. Asuna and Konoka threw themselves away from Setsuna: Asuna in fright, Konoka in abject horror.

"Bloody hell! She's even worse off than I thought!" Evangeline spat. She drew herself up to her full imposing height. "And—idiot that I am—I disarmed myself…" Shaking her head, she rounded on Konoka. "Konoka! Go to my armour and take up one of my gauntlets, and toss it to me. Then take the purity seals from my armour and bring them here; you'll know what they are. Take at least a half-dozen."

Konoka scrambled to obey. Asuna moved to help Konoka. "You stay right there, Asuna!" Evangeline ordered. "In fact, come to my side."

Asuna followed Evangeline's instructions mechanically. Evangeline pressed her hands to her chest reflexively, palms flat and thumbs extended, forming the image of some bird of prey. "Pray that your Magic Cancel is as good as I remember," muttered Evangeline, "because it may save our souls. Face Setsuna and call your weapon; you must hold back the dark forces if they spill over."

Asuna, face pale, drew her pactio card and summoned her demon-banishing harisen.

"Eva-san!" Konoka called. She hauled over a gauntlet with six purity seals affixed to it. Carefully, Konoka skirted around Setsuna and brought Evangeline the gauntlet. Tongues of dark fire lashed out, and Asuna swatted them with a cry. They crashed upon her like a tempest on the high seas, and broke upon the metaphysical barrier that was her soul: her Magic Cancel.

"Yeargh!" Asuna yelled. "Eva-sama, whatever you're doing—" She broke off, furiously flapping her fan to dispel the dark magic. Her hair rose to stand on end; the incredible psychic power began to lift it, almost as though it was statically charged. Frost began to creep along her arms, legs, and clothes; ice crystals beaded on her bells and nose.

"My thanks, Ojō," replied Evangeline to Konoka, not even looking at Asuna in her fit of histrionics. She thrust the gauntlet onto her right hand and picked the purity seals off of it with her left. She thrust one each onto Konoka breast and Asuna's back—the latter of which sizzled and hissed, ice sublimating to vapour—and flicked one at Negi, which stuck to his back as well. She left the last three on her gauntlet. "Negi! Is the water ready?"

"Yes, Master!" replied Negi. He levitated it and brought it before Eva.

"Good, bōya," nodded Evangeline. "Float that over in front of Setsuna, but _do not_ get any closer." Negi gulped and did as he was bidden. The steaming pot of water clunked down on the table in front of Setsuna, where the vapours condensed on contact with the air.

Evangeline reached within the folds of her cloak and fumbled for a pouch at her waist with her left hand. She opened the drawstring and took out a large pinch of some green powder, with which she stepped forward and cast into the steaming water. A smell like mint filled the room.

"I stand within the shadow of the Golden Throne, and I shall not be afraid. Yea, for mine Emperor is with me!" intoned Evangeline. She affixed a purity seal to the pot, from which spewed green minty vapours that twirled around Setsuna, who let out a keening cry, like a wounded bird. Evangeline spared a glance for her companions.

"Bird-brain has been meddling with forces that she should not have been," said Evangeline, annoyed. "This had best be a lesson to you all…"

Evangeline stepped closer to Setsuna, who had curled up, whimpering. Setsuna tried to scuttle away from Evangeline.

"In the name of the Emperor," intoned Evangeline, "I speak His word, and I declare thee Diabolus, damned soul. I say, OUT!"

Setsuna spat. "Servant of the Corpse-Emperor, thou shalt not take this body from me!" hissed the thing inside Setsuna, "Her soul is ripe and tender, and in it flows the blood of demons. I shall devour it for my Master's greater pleasure. The Lord of Change rules all!"

"Well, I'm about to change that," replied Evangeline dryly. "Daemon, I say to you: Begone! I cast thee from this girl and from this mortal plain. In the name of the Emperor!"

Evangeline whipped a purity seal from her armour and struck a backhand blow, sticking the seal to Setsuna's breast with great force. Setsuna recoiled from the meta-physical blow. She coughed, and purple bile splattered onto the carpet, where it smoked faintly. The purity seal seared the cloth and flesh off Setsuna's chest.

While Setsuna writhed with the daemon possessing her, Evangeline stepped calmly to her pile of armour and took up her other gauntlet, then jammed her helmet on her head. She unsheathed her lightning claws, which crackled to life, humming faintly.

"So, you value this girl so little that you would kill her to banish me?" The daemon chuckled. "Inquisitor, you are so very crude."

Eva's eyes sparkled with malice and displeasure. "No, filth," she spat in return, "I do not murder the innocent, but slay only the unjust."

"Ooh…!" mused the daemon, "What of Hammeront V? Corusca Prime? Hellionax?"

Eva's eyes widened. "How in the name of Holy Terra do you know…?"

The daemon cackled again. "It is I, Inquisitor: Fur'mex! Surprised?"

Evangeline's lips drew back in a snarl and her teeth ground in fury, her canines protruding like small fangs. "Well…" Eva mused, "normally, I believe the expression is 'I'll be damned…' But not today!" she shouted suddenly, causing Fur'mex to recoil. "Though my actions then were ignoble, I can only say that they were in defence of humanity and in service to the Golden Throne. I shall not listen to your lies, Fur'mex, you verminous scum! I _will_ be damned if I let you have this girl!

"_In the name of the Emperor_," she yelled, "_Domine, Salve Nos! BEGONE, HELL-SPAWN! Raimeiken: Ni-no-Tachi!_"

Evangeline slashed with her lightning claws, seeming to tear through Setsuna's body, yet at the same time passing through as though the young girl's flesh and bone were more ephemeral than mist. Fur'mex and Setsuna screamed as one, a horrible parody of a woman's voice. The purple haze dissipated slowly into nothing; the steaming pot of water rocked gently, a tiny chip appearing on the right side of the rim, as though someone had taken a tiny chisel and struck a feather-blow with a hammer. Evangeline watched Setsuna with eyes narrowed for several seconds; then, assured that the daemon was well and truly gone, she stepped forward lightly and took the last purity seal, placing it on Setsuna's forehead. Evangeline beckoned to the others, who stood rapt with awe and terror. They crept closer, Asuna with her harisen raised in both hands, ready to strike.

"Oh, please," Evangeline muttered, annoyed, "she won't rise up to kill you. Come, give me your purity seals."

They did as bidden, passing them to Eva's hand. Evangeline placed a third on Setsuna's mouth and two more upon her ears, then removed the one with which she had first struck Setsuna. It made a slight sucking sound as Eva peeled it off; a round impression remained burnt, almost melted, into the middle of Setsuna's chest.

"She has endured many distressing things…" Eva said sadly. "We will let her rest for now." She stepped over to the pot and ran her fingers along the edge where it had cracked. She lifted the pot gently and with surprising dexterity to pour the contents into the sink. A rotten smell bubbled up from the sink; Eva turned the cold water on and washed the filth away.

"That can't be good for the environment…" Asuna muttered, half-serious. Eva smirked.

"Neither is daemonic possession, my dear," replied Eva. "However, the smell is probably the worst thing that will remain of it—" She broke off and examined the bottom of the clay vessel. Etched into the bottom of the jug was the name 近衛: Konoe.

"Well, well…" murmured Eva. She glanced at Negi. "You chose well, bōya. A better pot you could not have found…"

Negi blinked, unsure of Eva's meaning but pleased all the same. "Ah, you're welcome, Master."

Eva sniffed, sparing a chuckle for Negi's bemusement. "Asuna, heave that bird-brain onto the bed there and let her lie." She sniffed suddenly in disgust. "Urgh…" she muttered. She stomped over to the fridge and pulled the door open, wrinkling her nose in disapproval. Most of the food within had spoilt, aging two weeks in a few minutes.

"Oh, no!" lamented Konoka. "That was all the food for this weekend…"

"I must say, that is one of the worst side-effects of daemonic interference…" growled Evangeline. "Short of possession, of course." She prodded the bentō with a talon and flicked the lid off. Several rows of mush greeted her sight, and she sighed. "Ah… I see… Asuna, you picked sushi… Well, what is lost is lost. We cannot dwell on it." She rounded on Asuna, who had just dumped Setsuna unceremoniously onto Konoka's bed with a grunt. "Carefully, you brute! You needn't manhandle the poor girl!"

"Sorry!" muttered Asuna. "I'm trying not to!"

"Well, try a bit harder, dear!" Evangeline huffed, "I won't have you breaking my specimen before I have the chance to figure out what happened."

"Specimen?" Konoka shrieked. Eva turned swiftly to Konoka, pulling a face.

"Damnation, Konoka! I'm not going to cut your poor girlfriend open! I'm a bloody _psyker_; I can probe her mind. I'm not going to disembowel her when she wakes up, either. I just need her to answer my questions!"

She pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation, her lightning claws retracting automatically. "I suppose calling her a 'specimen' was uncalled for… I'm sorry. Usually, those who are possessed are disposed of… But I won't allow that," she said hastily, as Konoka's eyes started to fill with tears. "Get a hold of yourself, Ojō!" snapped Evangeline. "The beast has been cast out, but your precious Setsuna needs more than your tears right now! Blast! Take out your pactio and heal her! Time is running out!"

Konoka jumped up and scrambled for her purse. Pulling out her card, she called her healing fans and began tending to Setsuna. Asuna edged away, shaking her head. She walked over to Negi, who held his head in one hand, the other absently tracing Celtic knots on the table.

"Hey." She knocked him gently on the head. "Buck up, Negi. Setsuna will be fine."

"Is this my fault…?" Negi muttered, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

"Dammit, Negi!" Asuna exploded, seizing his collar and hauling him to his feet. Konoka looked around in shock. "Stop it! Stop it right now, dammit! Setsuna isn't dead; Konoka is going to heal her! What else could you have done? Do you think you're powerless now because we're fighting daemons? You're not powerless, I'm not powerless, Konoka's not powerless, Setsuna's not powerless. We have what power we have—no more, no less—and we need to use it to stop whatever is happening here."

Negi kept his eyes averted during Asuna's rant. Tears rolled slowly down his cheeks. Asuna's face reddened with unsuppressed anger. _Stupid twit_, she thought. _He thinks that he's going to solve all of the world's problems by himself. Why doesn't he ever _realize_ that we're _here to help him_?_

"Negi," she growled, "what was the point of _pactio_ if you never let us help you? Yeah, I know you're supposed to be the 'magister' and we're just 'ministrae', but if you're going to call us 'partners' then we need to be just as involved in decisions as you are. You don't let us in! You keep us at a distance, and want to make all the choices alone. You have so many friends that are willing to help. Me and Konoka and Setsuna-san, Nodoka-chan and Yue-chan and Haruna-chan, Kū Fei-chan and Kaede-chan, Asakura-san and Sayo-san… Damn, Negi, the whole frickin' class would help you if you asked them! Hell," she chuckled briefly, "the Class Rep practically _lives_ to help you! Even Evangeline—Er… _Our_… Evangeline…? Oh, you know what I mean! Eva-chan and Chachamaru-chan help too! Bloody hell; even _Chamo_ helps out… when he's not hiding."

Negi finally looked at Asuna. The tears had stopped rolling. She sighed and set him down gently, fetching a handkerchief. She dried his face gently, wiped his glasses, and handed the hanky to him. "Here; blow your nose," she said kindly. He did, and a tremulous smile crept into his face; at least, the corners of his mouth didn't droop nearly as much.

"Thank you, Asuna-san," he muttered hoarsely. She hugged him, as a mother might embrace a frightened child. _Well, he _is_ a frightened child,_ she thought to herself.

Evangeline sighed again, running a hand through her hair. "What a day…" she muttered, turning to the window. Her eyes narrowed as she looked out, unseeing. "Speaking of the wretch Chamo, where is he?"

"Eh…?" Negi broke from Asuna's embrace and looked around, as though seeing the room for the first time. "Now that you ask… Chamo?" he called. "Chamo! Are you here?"

"I doubt that he's here…" Asuna trailed off, recognizing the futility of the statement. If he had witnessed the events of the last few minutes—or the last few hours—he would never poke his head out until he was sure that all danger had passed. That probably included Evangeline.

"Hmm… Much as I remember a fond distaste for the rat, at the moment he is attuned to the magic of this place better than I am…" muttered Evangeline to herself. "Bōya, can you find him somehow?"

"I… can try, Master," Negi replied. His staff floated gently into his hand with a thought, and Negi closed his eyes.

"Stop," said Evangeline. Negi opened his eyes, a quizzical look on his face. "If you try any serious magic right now, with what has occurred here, you are in danger of attracting daemons as well or, at worst, becoming possessed yourself." She reached up to unclasp her helmet. She turned to Negi and placed it upon his head; he stooped under its weight. "This helmet has been treated with sacred oils and wards to protect against daemonic interference," she explained, adjusting the fit as best she could. "It should give you a modicum of protection. Asuna, watch him and be ready to act if anything appears amiss."

"Wh-What am I supposed to do?" Asuna asked.

Eva looked annoyed. "Whatever you feel is necessary to save the bōya from daemonic possession, my dear! Whatever you _can_ do, do it! Whatever you _did_, it worked last time!"

Asuna quailed but moved to Negi's side. Negi again closed his eyes. Small dancing motes of light swirled around him. They formed a streaming helix, which spun out of the window. "Ah, I found him!" Negi said happily, "He's hiding in the gardens—AH!"

A dark shape materialized above Negi's head: A huge, spectral thing with a wide, leering mouth and rows of sharp teeth. It snarled at them and dove for Negi.

"NEGI!" Asuna yelled. She swung her harisen with all her might and drove the magical fan straight into the ghost. Its flight disrupted, it swirled around Negi and Asuna, reconstituting itself behind them. Asuna spun around.

"Crap!" she bellowed. "Konoka, get down!"

Konoka dove into the bed next to Setsuna. The spectral thing turned again on Negi and Asuna.

"…_Sagica Magica, Series Lucis!_" cried Negi, unleashing seven Arrows of Light at the thing. They punched through it harmlessly, though they dissipated the thing's incorporeal form where they blew holes in its smoky form. The thing snarled again, angry at being attacked.

"Damned lesser daemons…" Eva said, fixing her greaves into place and sticking purity seals on them. "They're like goddamn bats, swarming around and making life miserable. Oi, daemon!" she yelled, "How would you like to have a go at my tasty psyker-soul, eh?"

The daemon gibbered and turned to Evangeline. It cackled madly and flexed its claws before charging at Evangeline. She caught it in both hands. The daemon howled in pain and fury, struggling to slash Evangeline's face. Her long arms and sanctified gauntlets allowed her to keep the ghostly beast at arm's length. A wicked grin split her face.

"Is that all?" she asked with sweet innocence. The daemon-thing hissed and spit, inchoate with rage. "You think to best me? I, who earned my Daemonhammer in battle against Argorax, the Scourge of Therellion?"

The daemon slipped out of her grasp and shot straight as an arrow for Negi's heart, taking all of them by surprise. "Wha—!" Eva gasped.

"_Hyakuretsu Ōkazan!_"

A hundred cherry petals blossomed from thin air, shredding the daemon into a fine mist. It screeched and turned to the new threat. Setsuna had risen from the bed on white wings, Yūnagi naked in her hand, radiating a terrible fury. The purity seals were lit up with white burning light as they reacted to the demonic power in the room.

"Evangeline!" shouted Setsuna, harsh overtones conveying a renewed sense of passion. Evangeline nodded.

"_Zanmaken!_" they both shouted, and slashed with their weapons. Asuna cried as well, swinging her harisen, which morphed into an absurdly-large blade. All three warriors clove through the daemon, which dispersed with keening wails.

As the daemon dematerialized, its death-cry fading, the three warrior-women stared at each other warily. Setsuna was only newly-risen, and neither Asuna nor Evangeline would provoke her intentionally.

"…It is gone," Setsuna said at last, lowering her blade. She picked off the remaining purity seals one by one; they smoked faintly from the shock of demonic power.

"Aye, that it is," replied Evangeline levelly, almost conversationally. Her lightning claws dipped into a less threatening posture. "By the way, Setsuna-kun, I would appreciate if, as a professional courtesy, you don't damage my purity seals _too_ much. They are hard to come by…"

"Whoa! That was close," muttered Asuna, interrupting, changing her sword back into her pactio card, "I'm just glad that I got Ensis to come out that time…"

Negi slumped to the floor cross-legged, clutching his staff for support. "That was _too_ close," he muttered.

"Setchan!" Konoka squeaked. She rose from the bed and hugged Setsuna around the middle from behind, nuzzling Setsuna's back. For her part, Setsuna was mildly wildly embarrassed.

"O-Ojōsama…!" muttered Setsuna, blushing.

"Oh, I'm so glad you're all right, Setchan!" murmured Konoka. She sounded as if she was trying to reassure someone of the fact, but Setsuna wasn't sure who between the two of them that might be.

"My, isn't this a little love-fest…" Evangeline drawled quietly. She smiled a little at how Konoka continued to snuggle close to Setsuna, with the latter eventually turning to embrace her lady, Yūnagi still gripped in her hand. "Here, Ojō," said Evangeline, taking another pouch tied at her waist, "there's a healing salve in there. You should… _smear it where I stuck the purity seals_," she said, her lips curling in a wicked smile that showed her fangs. Konoka and Setsuna blushed furiously. "Well, would you rather _I_ did it?" she drawled, not even pretending to believe they did.

"Er… C'mon, Setchan," squeaked Konoka, "let's go to the bathroom…"

Dragging a protesting Setsuna behind her, Konoka snatched the pouch from Evangeline, swiped the purity seals from Setsuna and dumped them in Eva's hand, darted for the bathroom, and shut the door with great force, locking it with finality. The sound of Setsuna's protests and Konoka's wrangling filtered back through, including an "Eep!" or two as Konoka undoubtedly undid Setsuna's shirt and began applying the salve.

"Yaa! Wass all this? You guys trying to wreck the place?" came a high-pitched voice from the window-sill. Albert Chamomile, the magical ermine also known as Chamo, was perched on the sill, surveying the scene and scratching his head. "An' wass goin' on in _there_?" he said, cocking his head. "What're they _up_ to…?"

"Chamo!" Negi cried, rising unsteadily to his feet. "Where have you been?"

"I've been out!" Chamo replied. "Jus' goin' about my own business, y'know?"

"There will be plenty of business for you to get into, vermin ermine…" Asuna muttered.

"Indeed," replied Evangeline dryly. Chamo blinked and stared.

"Eh…? Who's the blonde chick?"

Negi and Asuna both blanched. "Ch-Chamo…!" Negi stuttered reprovingly, albeit far too late to affect the fate now in store for Chamo.

"Your worst nightmare, rat," Eva replied in the flattest tone possible. "Behold! I am the scourge of the wicked, the castigator of the vile, the punisher of perverted beasts everywhere!" She unsheathed her lightning claws, whose talons flickered and sparked. "And I've come to claim your _soul!_"

"Eh… Never heard _that_ one before," muttered Chamo, bemused.

A nimbus of sparks swirled around Evangeline. "I am the Dark Evangel, the Magus Nosferatu, the Doll Master!"

"No kiddin'! Evangeline's got those names—DOOOOOOOOOOOH!" Chamo screeched. "E-E-E-Evangeline!"

Evangeline threw her head back and cackled as Chamo scampered in terror across the window-ledge. He slammed into the wall and fell out the window.

"Chamo!" Negi yelled. He jumped across the sink for the window and stretched out his hand. Chamo floated back up slowly.

"Almost… bought it… there…" he wheezed.

Evangeline laughed, a high, imperious, gloating laugh that was only comparable to that of the Class Rep, Ayaka. (The fact that both were rich, haughty, self-assured, powerful blondes might have something to do with it.) "Pleasure to meet you again, Chamo," Eva chuckled, smiling mischievously.

* * *

"So what you're saying," said Chamo as he puffed out a swirl of cigarette smoke, "is that the guy who attacked Negi might be a guy you're chasing after?"

"That is correct," replied Evangeline. The party had returned to the table by common consent after clearing away the evidence of the fight. Setsuna sat pale-faced, eyes closed and brow furrowed. She cradled Yūnagi to her breast, half-protectively, half to reassure herself of its presence. Her hands pressed to the mark on her chest. Konoka sat close by on her left, watching Setsuna from the corner of her eye. Though Evangeline had gently probed Setsuna's mind and pronounced it without taint, Konoka was still worried that some damage lingered from Setsuna's daemonic possession.

After the briefest of summaries for Chamo's benefit and a few confirmations by Setsuna to Evangeline's questions, they sat back and mused on Chamo's synopsis.

"This whole story is crazy…" muttered Asuna from Konoka's left.

"Hmm, no more than usual," Evangeline said lightly, sitting between Asuna on her right and Negi on her left. "More dangerous, perhaps, but crazier? No, I don't think so."

"Par for the course, really," muttered Setsuna dourly, the first words she'd spoken in almost an hour. Konoka squeezed Setsuna's hand and was rewarded with half-opened eyes and a small smile from Setsuna. Her frown slackened ever so slightly.

"Setchan, you look exhausted," said Konoka, smiling slightly but worried all the same, "Maybe you should go back to your room…"

"Your dear Setchan can wait until we have concluded our business," said Evangeline sternly. "She is part of the reason that events have reached this point."

Setsuna straightened slowly and, though a brief grimace of pain flickered across her face, she sat tall and looked Evangeline in the face. There was some fear and trepidation, but Setsuna held herself in a dignified way. She was used to service, if not subservience, and she knew that she should bow before Evangeline's wisdom and accept any punishment or censure that the Inquisitor deemed appropriate for her transgressions.

Evangeline might have sensed the tenor of the thoughts crossing Setsuna's mind, for she chuckled slightly. "You're thinking about what I might do to punish you, perhaps?" Setsuna nodded almost imperceptibly. "Well, there isn't much that I _can_ do, outside of lobotomizing you or killing you outright… And I think that either option might be a bit of a shock to your dear Ojō's system. As I discovered," she added dryly.

Setsuna looked briefly at Konoka. "I am aware that I have transgressed against my friends and put their safety at risk," she replied to Evangeline, still looking at Konoka, "and while Konoka is my lady, you represent a higher authority, I think. Therefore, I must defer to you in this matter."

Eva raised an eyebrow minutely, half-impressed, half-amused. "Truly noble," she drawled, "However, what I said stands; you'll just have to live with your guilt. I can't do much, except to excoriate you for your stupidity, and I don't think that will do much under the circumstances. Though I will warn you out of courtesy…"

Eva's eyes darkened, and for a moment she was the imperious Lady Evangeline, Daemonhunter of the Ordo Malleus, senior member of the Holy Inquisition. "My Inquisitorial Mandate does not allow me to make exceptions for those who stand in the way of the Emperor's Work. You are young and you are useful, so I will not slay you out-of-hand for your mistake. My mercy will not last indefinitely, nor will your luck. If you step out of line again or get in my way, I _will_ kill you. And if you are possessed again… I almost certainly will not stay my hand.

"I may know the techniques to banish daemons and ghosts, but you have already been possessed once, not to mention that hereditary demon blood flows in your veins. You will probably not survive a second possession; you most certainly won't survive my talons." She flexed her hands to emphasize the point.

Setsuna blanched, and she bowed from her seat. "As… As you say," she gasped out, as though in shock.

Eva frowned. "Setsuna, you are being damn defeatist about this whole thing. Don't tell me that the vision you saw cowed you?"

Setsuna looked up, eyes blazing. "I am not a coward!" she replied snappily, "I am a proud successor to the Shimneiryū, and I will die before I dishonour my family and my Lady Konoka!"

"Let us pray that it does not come to that," said Evangeline delicately. She had retrieved the handkerchief that she used earlier, and dabbed at the corner of her mouth, affecting politeness for the sake of Setsuna and her friends, but really giving her time to consider her next remark.

"Setsuna, your pactio card." Setsuna stared blankly. Eva's eyes narrowed, and she held out a hand. "Give me your pactio card."

Everyone gasped. "You can't be serious!" Asuna managed.

"I certainly am," replied Evangeline grimly. "Setsuna, you said you used your pactio Artefact when you were possessed, and you tried to use it against me. Somehow, Fur'mex used it to possess you. Until this business is concluded, or until I have time to purify your card, I can't allow you to use it again."

Setsuna flinched. She had been dreading this. If she gave over her pactio, she could not draw on Negi-sensei's power, or the power of her Artefact. And that she had been possessed through it…

"Hand. It. _Over_," hissed Evangeline, each word punctuated by barely-contained anger. "If you want a better reason than your own possession, think of the possible magical backlash to Negi—"

Setsuna, face flushed an ugly crimson, rummaged in her pocket and slammed the card down in front of Evangeline. Tiny wisps of ash and paper flaked off the edges; it looked even worse than before, with the whole edge burnt brown and black-flecked spots on the picture. The colours had also faded slightly.

"Don't you _dare_," spat Setsuna. "Don't you _dare_ presume that I would endanger Negi-sensei or any of my friends for my own selfish reasons. I went to the site of the attack and used Sica to find out who attacked us. I did it to help _everyone!_ I have cooperated with you thus far, but I will _not_ be yanked about like a dog on a leash!"

"You haven't a choice," hissed Evangeline. "I am an Inquisitor, sworn to destroy the daemon wherever I find it. If it means using you or killing you, I will not hesitate!"

Evangeline and Setsuna leapt to their feet simultaneously, each sensing the other's intent. Setsuna had drawn Yūnagi and drew it back to her ear in both hands; Evangeline's hands crackled with psychic energy. For a tense moment, everyone stared in horror at the two of them, wondering if one or both were about to be disembowelled by her opponent.

Evangeline closed her eyes and took a deep, deep breath, holding it for three seconds before exhaling long and slow. She sat back down slowly, keeping her hands in view. Setsuna held her position for a moment longer before, with Konoka's urging, she sat down warily and sheathed her sword. Evangeline drew a tiny box from within her cloak. It bore the =][= sign of the Inquisition and the rune for "hammer". She opened the lid and slid the card inside, snapping the box shut with finality and storing it in her pocket.

"_Hmm…_" Eva let out a long humming sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Chamo?"

"YES!" he shrieked and nearly toppled over in fright. Eva rubbed her forehead in frustration.

"By the old gods, Chamomile," she growled, "stop that! It's damned annoying."

"S-S-Sorry," he stammered, righting himself, "what can I do for you?"

"I would like you to perform a Tracery for me, if you would," she said.

Chamo blinked. "A Tracery? Here?"

Evangeline's eyes narrowed for a moment, then she made a concerted effort to relax and made a small hum of affirmation in her throat. "Yes… Around here."

Chamo scratched his head. "Anywhere… in particular, ma'am?"

Eva's eyes narrowed again. "If I had somewhere in particular," she said with enforced calm, enunciating her syllables slowly, "I would have told you. Of course, the idea of a Tracery is to find what you're looking for, is it not?"

Chamo nodded. "Yes… Yes it is, but usually you need a starting point—"

"Chamo," Eva broke in, "start here. Right where you're standing."

"R-Right now? Right this instant?" Chamo started to sweat a bit.

Eva raised a hand to her forehead, brushing a stray wisp of hair. "No," she sighed, "no need to get ahead of ourselves. Perhaps we'll save it for tomorrow. I'm tired, and I'm sure that the rest of you are worn out as well."

"I… guess I'll prepare…" Chamo offered weakly.

"You do that," Eva replied flatly.

Chamo backed slowly away. "Well, if you don't need me any longer…" He backed to the edge of the table, hopped off, and scurried up the counter to the window, from which he clamoured down a drain-pipe.

Eva sighed. "Cowardly wretch," she murmured, "but his instincts for self-preservation are strong. Maybe even stronger than his perverted lust for beautiful maidens and their unmentionables."

Asuna, Konoka, and Setsuna all flushed pink. They had all been recipients of said lust on more than a few occasions, Asuna worst of all. And it was usually Negi who received an often-painful physical retort from the victim in Chamo's place, since the poor boy teacher—for all his British gentlemanliness—was usually in the wrong place at the wrong time. How the Fates can be cruel…

Though in Setsuna's case, it was more the thought of the indignities that her lady Konoka suffered. Well, that, and the fact that it was Konoka, and her underwear, and her nakedness and—

Setsuna sat bolt upright and shook her head, as though to dislodge the naughty thoughts that had settled in her mind. _Get a grip, dammit!_ she chastised herself. _Now is _not_ the time to start having… _thoughts_ about your lady!_

Unfortunately, the feel of Konoka's delicate fingers dabbing the healing salve on her chest hadn't quite faded away. Setsuna tingled at the thought.

Asuna noticed the trembling swordswoman and tilted her head, using her nose to point discreetly for Konoka to see. The latter turned to her bodyguard, but was waved away immediately by Setsuna with a vigorous, albeit abashed, nod of reassurance.

"Ah, so, Evangeline-san," Konoka piped up, trying to be cheerful but coming on a bit too strong, "do you, um, have a place to stay the night…?"

Eva blinked, perplexed, as though the matter had not concerned her to that moment. "What…? Oh. No, I don't suppose that I do."

Asuna traded a look with Konoka. "Well… Then what are you going to do about—NO! No, no, no, no, no! You can't have my bed!" the redhead shouted suddenly, jumping to her feet.

Eva smirked. "And just what are you going to do about it, Red? I'm an Imperial Inquisitor; I can commandeer anything I damn well please. Rest is vital to my mission; who are you to deny me it? Remember: My Mandate doesn't tolerate obstructions."

_Shit_, thought Asuna, _I need to learn to keep my mouth shut. At least until I can come up with something that won't bring on an Evangeline-style stinger._ "Ah… ha, ha, ha…" Asuna laughed weakly, "s-surely you wouldn't… like my bed. You're… um, that is… it's too short for you; your feet would be dangling off… And you'd… have Negi crawling in with you…"

Eva made a noise of disgust in her throat, as though she had tasted bile. "Urgh, bōya, do you _still_ climb into bed with your sister-substitute? Whatever; I shall find my own accommodations then."

She rose and moved to collect her armour. Konoka huddled close to Asuna.

"But _where_ is she going to stay?" Konoka whispered. "We can't leave her out in the cold! That would be rude!"

"Um… Maybe she's going to rough it?" Asuna volunteered vaguely. In truth, Asuna was willing to bet that Evangeline had seen more hardships in forty thousand years than the rest of the group could even begin to imagine, let alone comprehend; one night on the school grounds or wherever would hardly be the worst thing for her.

Then again, there were surely still daemons lurking around, and besides, hospitality dictated that they offer to help her get accommodations.

"I'll be fine," Evangeline grunted, heaving her chestplate into place. "Asuna, help me fix this in place."

Asuna rose and quietly did as she was bidden. Soon, the haughty Inquisitor stood before them again, dressed in her full regalia. "Hah… Back in armour… I feel better already." She stretched her neck, groaning as she reintegrated with the neural sensors of her armour and felt its weight settle on her like a comfortable robe. "Believe you me, this armour feels almost weightless," she told her watching companions. When they shook their heads in disbelief, she smiled. "No, really, it's even lighter than a _yukata_. Or at least, it feels that way. Gyro-stabilizers, servo-motors… they all help make things much easier. Well… not the important things, unfortunately… But then, we must do what we can," she finished softly.

She bowed her head for a moment, then—her resolve stiffening—strode purposefully to the door, making to leave. She paused for a moment as a thought struck her. She took an unblemished purity seal and walked back to Konoka, depositing it in her hands.

"For your pot," she said. "I noticed that it was damaged during my banishment ritual. You should tack that on until I return. I'll re-consecrate the vessel; it's the least I could do. In the meantime, you should offer up a prayer of gratitude to your ancestors. Burn some incense, too. After all, you have the protection of a god through your Fujiwara line, a divine shield in your blood from your progenitors, and you should be thankful for that." She turned away again, muttering, "It's a good thing to have…"

She shut the door behind her. Asuna flopped down on the couch.

"_Yare, yare…_" she muttered, clasping a hand to her eyes. "What. A. Day."

"You said it," said Konoka. She looked around. "We should really clean up, shouldn't we?"

"Yeah… Let's get to it," said Asuna resignedly. They all began to move about, clearing away the signs of the recent struggle.

* * *

Outside, Evangeline looked up to the heavens, as though seeking solace, or guidance. "Oh God-Emperor, hear me," she whispered, "guide my hands and my feet to seek the truth. I ask your council, my Lord." Bowing her head, she strode off into the night.

* * *

Chapter Three: End

* * *

**Notes:**

1) Ah, food. Always good, eh? Here's some of the stuff the Negi-gumi were eating:

a) Bentō (弁当): From the Chinese meaning "convenience", these are boxed lunches. The boxes themselves come in all sorts of designs.

b) Tempura (天ぷら): Batter-fried seafood and vegetables, served with a dipping sauce made from grated _daikon_. Shrimp is called _ebi_ (えび); garlic _ninniku_ (にんにく).

c) Taiyaki (たいやき): A small fish-shaped confectionary made like a waffle on a griller and commonly filled with _adzuki/azuki_ (あずき; red-bean) paste.

2) When Evangeline is defending/justifying her actions to Fur'mex (though why she would have to…), she uses different words to make her point. One problem with the translation of the Ten Commandments is "Thou shalt not kill." Originally, "kill" meant "murder", and "slay" meant "kill". So, "thou shalt not _murder_", but David _slew_ Goliath. Killing people in cold blood (_murder_) is never justified; killing people in war or in self-defence (_slaying_) is. There is a reason we have _manslaughter_ and _murder_ charges.


	4. With Friends Like These…

So here we go, with Chapter 4 of "Long Shadows Over Mahora". I hope you enjoy it!

**DISCLAIMER:** Negima and everything that goes along with it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Ken Akamatsu (who made it) and everyone else (who got a slice of the pie). I stand in no way to profit from my work (or his). Though I wish I could.

Likewise, Warhammer 40,000 and everything that goes along with it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Games Workshop, their subsidiaries, and their affiliates. I stand in no way to profit from incorporating their work into my own. Though I hope it will continue to be awesome.

**Chapter Three Recap:** The Negi-gumi regroups in their common dorm room. Asuna frets that Evangeline is taking too long deliberately in an attempt to flout their hospitality, which in turn causes Setsuna to become even more irritated with Asuna. Having bought high-class bentō at the cafeteria, Asuna and Setsuna returned to the room, having another falling-out when Asuna derides having demons as possible allies.

Back at the room, Asuna suddenly wonders how Evangeline—a vampire sorceress, and almost surely the epitome of "demon"—managed to get into Mahora. Evangeline appears and deadpans "black magic". She and Setsuna engage in some verbal sparring, followed by dinner. Setsuna then begins to recount what happened to Negi the week before. Evangeline senses that Setsuna is holding something back, after which Setsuna tells them about the ritual she invoked before meeting Evangeline that very day. During her recitation, Setsuna become possessed by a daemon. Evangeline suspects that the thing entered her during her séance, but with the aid of the Negi-gumi, she banishes the daemon, though not before it reveals its identity: an old enemy of Evangeline's named Fur'mex, who brings up the names of certain incidents that Evangeline is apparently startled to hear of. After securing the room and warding Setsuna, Negi attempts to locate Chamo, who is conspicuous by his absence. Another lesser daemon attempts to possess Negi, but the combined might of Evangeline, Asuna, and Setsuna sends it back to the Warp. Chamo finally appears and, though frightened of Evangeline's power, agrees to aid her. She leaves the Negi-gumi wondering just what they've gotten themselves into.

* * *

**Long Shadows Over Mahora**

* * *

Chapter Four: With Friends Like These…

* * *

_Night has fallen over Mahora. It has been ten days since the boy-teacher Negi, the ten-year-old prodigy and teacher of class 3A at Mahora Academy's All-Girls High School, was attacked by forces unknown. His injuries were severe, and he was placed in hospital for observation. _

_Having recuperated from his physical and magical injuries, Negi returned to his teaching duties with seemingly no ill effects. However, Asuna Kagurazaka and Setsuna Sakurazaki, two of his students and ministrae, thought otherwise. Negi has faced tough challenges before, but this one felt different. An opponent able to break through the ultimate barrier technique of the Shinmeiryū, which has never before failed Setsuna when protecting her or her friends. An opponent that sunk vast quantities of magical power into the very bones of Mahora and flooded it, forcing an explosion of energy. An opponent that can form magic sigils whose complexity is an order of magnitude above anything that Negi can perform. This is the calibre of the enemy that the Negi-gumi face._

* * *

_Darkness. An ally and an old friend. The dark hides the true desires of man deep within it. The dark hides the true face of man deep behind it. Why else would one say that one's "true" desire is also their "deepest, darkest" desire?_

_The dark is duplicitous: it reveals only falsehoods and hides the truth. The dark is misleading: what you know is useless, what you think is meaningless._

_The dark is vast: it envelops all. The dark is all-enclosing: it reduces the world to only what you can see and feel before you. It is both finite and infinite, universal and personal. The dark conceals schemes within schemes, boxes within boxes, plans within plans, layers within layers. _

_Indeed, the darkness is the ultimate schemer, fooling both the unwary and the ready. It is also the greatest weapon of fear: men cannot comprehend it, cannot tame it, and so they fear it. Darkness is a weapon, and it is fear incarnate._

_Truly it may be argued that the darkness is the greatest ally of the Celestial Chessmaster, the Trickster God, the God of Despair, the great Lord of Change: Tzeentch._

* * *

_It is in darkness that the tall man is standing. His weather-beaten face—lined with age, as though the weight of years has pressed down on him—is slightly upturned, as though looking out on the horizon for something yet to arrive. He tilts his head slightly to the left, his brown fedora cocked oddly with him. A light breeze ruffles his fedora and matching trench coat, the tails fluttering gently. He raises a gloved hand to settle his greyed hair and slips his sunglasses down a fraction, so that he might see better. Though in truth, what need has he of puny mortal sight, he who has attained godhood?_

"_Master, I send you this report, though surely you know of it already, as befits the paradox of our great Lord Tzeentch. When the fool Inquisitor, the female known as Evangeline, struck us in our hour of victory, she sent us spiralling through your Warp-gate. It seemed that my hopes would be dashed, and that I would not be able to help complete your conquest, Master. But fate intervened._

"_Inexplicably—though I know the truth now—I was able to see a guiding light in the Warp, the one so blessed of the Corpse-God's followers. Though I was once a servant of that loathsome—grr, I don't want to think about it. Suffice to say, this light—however it came to be seen by me—led me here._

"_The mortals call this place 'Mahora Academy'. I sense great magic power here; it is a locus of some sort. Indeed, there are six loci here in Mahora. I have discovered that there is a great and powerful 'World Tree', which blooms with magical energy only once in one score and two years. This year, it bloomed early, and became the focus of fierce fighting among several factions of mages. The details of the conflict would not interest you, lord, but the rebellious faction failed to expose the power of the loci to the world, and so most humans remain ignorant of its true power._

"_I note that the six loci are set, predictably, in the hexagramic pattern so beloved of the human Inquisition, curse them. It is painful for me to be here, but this body is… sufficient to allow me freedom of movement. Since the mages here appear human, the powerful wards that encircle this academy do not threaten their magic, and thus must I appear as one of them. Of course, this greatly reduces my power, but even in this limited state, I possess more power than anything that I have yet encountered._

"_It is surely good fortune that led me here. Long have we sought to undo the light of the Corpse-Emperor and scatter his followers to the winds, whereupon they would be at the mercy of our great Lord Tzeentch. However, by a different, ill-turn of fate, the Inquisitor you so loath has also made her way here. Recall, Master, how she struck at me in our moment of triumph and sent us both tumbling through the Warp-gate so meticulously crafted by Your Lordship. However, it was fortunate indeed that Your Excellence crafted such a magnificent portal; it was stable in a way that we could never have hoped for, and it led me here, almost directly to a prize of incalculable magnitude, while the Inquisitor was stranded in the Warp for—I estimate—ten human days at least since my arrival. I have not seen her, though I sense her presence. It is… repugnant for me to be even this near her. Daemonhunter Evangeline, darling of the Ordo Malleus, the only human to defy you—Er, not that she has ever stopped you, Master. Forgive me for my impertinence._

"_I have not been idle in my free time. I have discovered the prize I did not seek. This prize, Master, is a prize above all others. This Mahora Academy… and the roots of the World Tree… Master, this is the Beacon of the Warp that the humans prize so much. The light of their Corpse-Emperor… the Astronomicon."_

* * *

Konoemon Konoe, Dean of Mahora Academy, sat alone in his darkened office; only low lanterns, styled like wrought-iron braziers, threw flickering light on the walls. His gaze rested on the door, though in truth he was looking beyond it, distracted as he was by abstract thoughts.

He glanced down and fingered the report on his desk. He frowned; the report was from Mana, and the contents were vaguely upsetting. She had submitted the report about one hour after her shift ended at 7p.m., and it was even briefer than usual for the taciturn Mana. It stated that Setsuna and some of Negi's party encountered an enemy on campus. Takahata-sensei, Mana, and Kotarō had responded, but the enemy fled. Setsuna and co. had remained at the site of the attack, while Kotarō was sent immediately to find Kū Fei and begin a five-to-seven patrol shift, with Mana doing likewise. Nothing else occurred that day.

The disturbing thing—in Mana's mind, and now in the Dean's—was that Setsuna had yet to make a report of her own. True, she had the day off, and so was not formally involved in the patrol schedules, but… All the same, it was uncharacteristic of Setsuna to say nothing; even a memo on a Post-It Note would have been something. The other thing was Mana's briefness, even shortness, in the report. The Dean had a sneaking suspicion that Mana suspected something of Setsuna and, rather than tell the Dean, she would confront Setsuna about it personally.

Mana, though a mercenary by choosing and a worker for the highest-paying party, was _Dean Konoe's_ mercenary. She remained on campus tending to the Tatsumiya-jinja—her family's Shinto shrine—and the magical wards that it powered. She continued a tradition of service to Mahora begun in generations past; as head of the campus's magical security; she would not take kindly to interference, omission, or insubordination. Setsuna might have been seconded from the Kyoto Shinmeiryū by Konoka's father, Konoemon's son-in-law Eishun (who was also head of the Kansai Magic Association), and she might well be answerable to both Eishun and Konoemon (who was both Konoka's grandfather and head of the Kantō Magic Association), but Mana was Setsuna's immediate boss. And she was **not** known for her patience. "Setsuna-kun…" he muttered.

_Knock, knock._ Dean Konoe looked up, frowning. He knew that no one was likely to disturb him at this hour. He quickly ran through a list of people that might come to see him and rejected them all; they would not come to him like this. "Who's there?" he called, the strength of his voice belying his age.

"So, Konoe-jii, you wonder about Setsuna-kun too?" came a woman's voice from outside. The handle turned slowly.

"Who's there?" shouted the Dean hoarsely. He was tense now; whoever was outside his door clearly did not stand on ceremony or respect the Dean's office.

The door swung open quietly. A huge figure stood in the doorway, inseparable from the shadows in the hall. "Please be calm, Konoe-jii," came the voice again. It was composed and even a bit mollifying, as though the person knew that she was intruding and wished to show respect, even if she wasn't in a position to do so right then. She moved into the room and closed the door.

The Dean rose and took a moment to inspect the figure before him. She—for he felt fairly certain that it was a female, given her voice—was encased head-to-toe in the most massive and baroque armour he had ever seen: Polished silver, burnished to a blue-grey shine and trimmed with silver and gold filigree. Tiny, snaking wire scattered through the metalwork, intricately worked in as decoration… or more. Wax parchment streamers attached at strategic places. Huge gauntlets that housed clawed weapons, sheathed and turned down in a gesture of peace. A grey cloak and silver hood that concealed the woman's face, since her helmet was clipped to her belt; two curls of blonde hair poked from under the hood. A small protuberance from her back: an antenna of some sort. And on her breast, a small silver chain with a =][= on the front.

The woman bowed her head and upper body slightly, apparently slightly encumbered by the huge armour, her right hand over her heart. "Konoe-gakuenchō-sensei," she said formally, "it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

The Dean tilted his head. "My Lady," he replied, bowing, "welcome. Though I am in a poor state to receive you properly right now. Will you sit?"

"No, thank you," replied the figure, rising from her bow. "Actually," she said with a faintly mischievous tone, "I spoke wrongly. I am pleased to make your _re-acquaintance_."

She pulled back her hood and shook her blonde hair out. The Dean's eyebrows rose slightly as something between recognition and disbelief played across his features. The woman smiled a little, coming close to a smirk but remaining dignified. The Dean's eyes widened, and a faint look of shock entered into his face.

"You can't be…" he muttered involuntarily.

"Blonde hair, imperious manner, a face that does not age…" the figure supplied. "Go on; say my name." The Dean hesitated. "Say it!" said the woman.

"Evangeline."

Evangeline nodded. "I am."

The Dean groped slightly behind him, seeking his chair. He found it and sat, more heavily that he might have liked, but the shock of recognizing Evangeline—aged though she was, and yet not aged, in this armour…

He shook his head. "Explain," was all he could muster.

Evangeline chuckled, a tinkling little laugh. "I expected as much," she said, raising her finger to her lips as though to still her laughter, through in truth it was a contemplative gesture as she regarded the Dean. "But first things first. You owe me."

The Dean mustered a weak chuckle. "Since when has that changed?"

Eva smirked. "Glad to know you're still the same old geezer I left all those years." The armoured fingers on her gauntlets retracted, leaving her hands free. She drew a piece of paper from within her robe, laying it on the Dean's desk. "For my dinner," she said, noting the Dean's bewilderment. "Your granddaughter and her friends entertained me earlier. On your behalf, of course. I appreciate it."

She arched her eyebrow meaningfully; the Dean coughed, taking the hint, and slipped the receipt into his desk drawer. "I suppose you did not simply want me to reimburse Konoka-chan for feeding you?" he said, more a statement than a question.

"Naturally," replied Evangeline smoothly, "but now that the financials are settled—for the moment, anyway—I'll get down to business."

"Evangeline-san… Is it really you?" The Dean tilted his head again, examining her. "I can believe it, but… It is you, and yet it is not."

Eva theatrically heaved a gusty sigh. "Oh, Konoe-jii… You don't believe me." She smiled sadly, though mischief twinkled in her eyes.

"I think you beat me at _shogi_ often enough and drank enough of my tea—not to mention cursing enough of my 'little schemes'—to know you and your moods pretty well by now," returned the Dean. "You are not in a happy one."

"Oh, but I _am_ happy to see you, Konoe-jii…" She edged closer to the desk, leering down at him. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

"Not in the least," replied the Dean flatly. Eva's eyes blazed for an instant, before cool pragmatism doused her anger. A corner of her mouth twitched.

"I am… glad to hear that," Eva said with dignity, straightening up. "It means that you sense something _very important_ is going on."

"I have before me a report of an unknown enemy penetrating Mahora's barriers earlier today. It mentions that Setsuna and a few of her friends encountered this 'enemy' and sent for reinforcements. Said reinforcements promptly appeared in the form of Takahata-sensei and Tatsumiya-kun, but the foe escaped, whereupon you appear. _Out of nowhere_." He leaned forward, fingers steepled. "I assume that 'enemy' was you."

"As I said, Setsuna was almost too efficient," Eva replied. "Her friends from the Campus Patrol almost found me. Takahata suspected something, as did Mana, but Setsuna has said nothing, it seems."

"Which I find disturbing," retorted the Dean emphatically. "What information do you possess that has forced Setsuna-kun—and, I imagine by now, Negi-kun, Asuna-kun, and Konoka-chan, for with whom but they would you have had dinner?—to clam up? Hear this, Evangeline-san," he said, suddenly deadly serious, "Setsuna-kun may feel her loyalties to be conflicted right now—though I'm sure Tatsumiya-kun will sort her out—but I won't have you subverting Negi-kun or his students."

"The bōya is _already_ 'subverted'," Evangeline shot back, "I _subverted_him before the Budōkai. I'm his Master."

"_Erstwhile_ Master," the Dean corrected her.

_Prick,_ she thought, this_ is why I didn't like him; he thinks too much and gets too much right. _She heaved a sigh. "Fine; I'm not going to spend the hour arguing with you over who's whose Master. Yes, there is an enemy on campus, but it's not me."

"I am glad to hear that," said the Dean levelly. "But then, who _is_ the enemy?"

Evangeline waggled a finger at him. "Only if you can keep it to yourself."

"Oh, come now, Eva—"

"Don't even _dare_," she breathed, edging her face to a few inches from his. "You don't know me, not anymore. You see this?" She tugged at her chain gently. "I am an Inquisitor, a servant of the God-Emperor. I don't answer to you; _you_ answer to _him_. And I'm his messenger."

The Dean stared at the skull-fronted =][= symbol, and a bead of perspiration slid down his temple. He sensed some dread power behind Evangeline's words. "Very… Very well," he agreed, drawing a handkerchief from his drawer and mopping his brow slightly, doing his best not to betray the extent of his… _misgivings_. (Panic was too strong a word.) "I believe you."

Evangeline backed away from the desk and bowed apologetically. The Dean returned it with a slight bow of his own.

"Now that we understand each other," said Evangeline lightly, "I will tell you the name of our enemy."

She turned to the window, contemplative. "In the beginning, there was darkness. And yet, in that darkness, there were always greater forces in the universe than Man could comprehend. These primeval forces are called the Gods of Chaos."

"Chaos…" repeated the Dean.

"They have always been there, pulling at the strings of the universe. In my time, we have come to know of the four Gods of Chaos, who rule what men call the Warp. The most insidious of the four is Tzeentch, Lord of Change. He is the God of Ambition and Change, the Trickster God, and the Lord of _Sorcery_." She emphasized the last point.

"Sorcery… Magic!" gasped the Dean.

"Correct," replied Evangeline. "Now, while the Chaos Gods are arranged in a pantheon and have come to a truce, balancing their own interest against each other, they do not _like_ each other. Sometimes they will aid each other, but each detests absolutely one of the others, and will turn on his erstwhile allies if a better opportunity arises."

"May I presume," said the Dean slowly, "that this 'Tzeentch' thought that such an opportunity had arisen?"

"Not Tzeentch, and not merely arisen," replied Evangeline.

"…That's quite a vague statement," observed the Dean dryly. "Would you care to elaborate?"

"In due time, Konoe-jii."

The Dean shook his head. "I don't believe that either of us have that luxury, Eva-san."

"Oh, very well," Evangeline huffed and, for a moment, the Dean saw the old Evangeline shine through. Oh, of course, she was the bratty type, but it did his heart good to know that she was still in there, armour be damned.

She caught his look. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" she asked, incredulous. The Dean merely smiled, the same smile that Eva remembered had infuriated her so many times before. "I can't believe this," she said to herself aloud, switching to English, her British lilt—forgotten all these years speaking Imperial Gothic—suddenly returning with relish. "You are, aren't you?" she continued, still in English. The Dean merely smiled wider, and Eva stamped her foot, which surprisingly didn't break the floor. "Gods, and I thought that old geezers like you were supposed to think things through slowly…

"Very well; I'll tell you what's going on. In brief," she shot at him, hoping for a rise; he merely nodded. She composed herself.

"One servant of Tzeentch has become… entwined with my destiny. Tzeentch is one of the powerful beings in this universe that can affect _fate_, pulling strings with all the subtlety of a _Bunraku_ puppet-master, and his servants little less than their master. This foe is called Argorax, a Lord of Change and lieutenant of Tzeentch. I earned my rank by banishing Argorax at Therellion, and thus earned Argorax's undying wrath… One of Argorax's most loyal servants, Candelios, Worthy of the Thousand Sons Chaos Marines, worked tirelessly on his master's behalf to return him to realspace from the Warp.

"Recently, Candelios succeeded. Argorax returned from his banishment, and was pleased to elevate Candelios, Champion of Tzeentch, to the rank of Daemon Prince. Argorax returned, and Candelios rose to daemonhood…" Evangeline's fists clenched, and hot tears glimmered in her eyes. "My life's work has been to destroy that abomination, and he has returned…"

She turned away suddenly, unable to keep a few tears from spilling over. The Dean stroked his beard thoughtfully. Eva whipped around. "Have you nothing to say?" she hissed.

"What would you have me say?" asked the Dean. He rose slowly and turned to the high window behind him, looking out on the lamp-lit campus. "I understand that a great horror has arisen, and that he is your greatest foe. I understand what it is to work your whole life to build something, and have it all for naught. You forget," he turned, smiling slightly, "I'm quite old myself. I've had a few dreams shattered over the years."

Evangeline laughed weepily. "Konoe-jii, you're incorrigible," she chuckled, wiping tears away. He chuckled back.

"I've heard Konoka say that more than a few times," he admitted.

"Humph…" She quirked an eyebrow. "It is good that the heiress of the Kantō and Kansai Magic Associations is in good health. I trust that Negi-kun and Setsuna-kun have been doing well for her." The Dean nodded. "Good. I can only hope that I will not drag the Negi-gumi into this… But then, they are already involved. I trust you know of the incident involving the bōya a week back?"

"Yes, it happened ten days ago," replied the Dean. "Negi and his friends encountered a powerful mage and—"

"No," replied Evangeline. "He was no mage, not in the sense that you know. That… was Candelios."

The Dean dropped into his seat in shock. "You mean to tell me that this Daemon Prince, a powerful sorcerer and dark lord, is here? In Mahora?" He leaped to his feet. "Why did you not come to me earlier?" he shouted, suddenly angry.

Evangeline's foot involuntarily shuffled back by the smallest amount. _He's_ really_ angry_, she thought to herself. _I didn't think he'd get this angry…_ "Konoe-san…" she began.

"Don't you try to pacify me, Evangeline-san," he retorted. "This is absurd. A demonic sorcerer appears on my campus and—Dammit, he's had free-run of Mahora for almost two weeks!" he shouted. "Where were you all that time?"

"I was trapped!" she cried back, her temper slipping. The Dean blinked, interrupted.

"You where what?" he managed.

"I was trapped in the Warp," replied Evangeline. "I was stuck in the time-stream, outside of realspace. I could do nothing until the Warp gave me up. I was… lucky…"

She turned away quickly, as though she had been on the verge of saying something that she should not have.

"…Where did this Candelios come from?" asked the Dean. "How did he come to arrive at Mahora?"

"I was explaining this to the bōya and his friends, at least until Setsuna-kun was rude enough to become possessed by a daemon—"

"A daemon?" yelled the Dean. "Setsuna-kun? But she's already a half-demon—"

"I'm aware of that!" yelled back Evangeline, "That's why it was so easy for her to be taken over! She went to the site of the attack today and attempted a ritual of divination. She was exposed to the Warp, and her artefact from the bōya was damaged and contaminated! Dammit, Konoemon, you don't know what's going on around your own campus, and you condemn me for trying to fix things! It's no wonder that we of the Inquisition have a reputation for ruthlessness; we certainly don't tolerate fools who can't manage their own affairs, let alone see the big picture!"

She stomped away from his desk, clenching and unclenching her fists. Servos whined in her armour, attempting to compensate for her tenseness.

"I was engaged in battle against Candelios and his master, Argorax," replied Evangeline. "On a planet called Fargor Secundus. The daemon lords had opened a gate to the Warp, and they intended to pull the planet into Warp-space. The whole story is irrelevant here. Suffice to say that I and members of my brother and sister Orders tried to stop the gate. Candelios and Argorax have committed such atrocities before, and they have succeeded. It was then or never; we had to stop them.

"During the battle, I fought Candelios one-on-one. He is insanely powerful, and I had a slim chance of besting him. Even banishing him alone would have tipped the balance of the battle in our favour, though if _I_ fell, Candelios would have had one less worry.

"The psychic rage that Candelios unleashed on me was incredible, and I could not cope with it. He pushed my sanity to the breaking point, and my mind began to warp. However, he did not count on my own not-inconsiderable powers. I harnessed his hate and used it against him. I reflected his evil back on him, and in the exchange, both of us were hurtled into—or _sucked_ into—the Warp-gate.

"I know not how Candelios came to Mahora—I mean, Mahora specifically, especially. It is tempting to dismiss it as 'luck', but luck factors in to Tzeentch's equations only in small parts. Rather, I believe that it was a combination of circumstances and fate that led Candelios here. Remember, he is a daemon sorcerer, recently ascended to godhood; some power allowed him to find Mahora. I wonder if it's the boy…"

"The boy? You mean Negi?" asked the Dean.

"Yes… You know he is a prodigy, the son of the Thousand Master," replied Eva. "He will go on to do great things, I am sure."

"You are sure…" repeated the Dean. "Don't… Don't you _know_, Eva?"

She whipped around him. "Are you needling me, Konoemon?"

"Perhaps. If you answer my questions, it will be worth your anger," the Dean shrugged.

"The answer to you ill-mannered question is that I do _not_ remember," replied Evangeline. "I once heard a trite but true saying that the future is what you make it. You are living in my past; I live beyond your future. We are a paradox, right here, right now; this is, and yet is not. Such is the nature of the Warp; such is the force that I must stand against.

"I cannot remember my past, though I have caught glimpses of it in my dreams. 'Visions' is perhaps a better word for it. I don't know exactly why I forgot, but I know who I am: Inquisitor Evangeline, Daemonhunter of the Emperor's Inquisition. Candelios is a blight on humanity, and I must oust him."

"But first, we must know his objective," the Dean pointed out.

"True… I don't know, and that is the frustrating part." Eva's hands came together, twitching with anger. "'If only we knew' is an oft-repeated mantra of the Inquisition—and enough radicals have fallen to it to think that there is a more than a grain of truth in it—but the truth is that it is almost impossible to divine the plans of the Enemy, even less so in Tzeentch's case. He may be trying to do away with Candelios; he may be trying to steal some magic from Mahora…"

The Dean stroked his beard. "Do you remember what happened this summer?" he asked.

Eva turned to him. "No. What?"

"Chao Lingshen tried to reveal magic to the world," the Dean replied. "She tried to harness the power of the World Tree to power a Forced Recognition Spell. You know that the World Tree blooms only once every twenty-two years, and this year, it bloomed early. Chao was able to trap our loyal forces in the close future, after the damage had been done, causing them to arrive 'too late' to stop her. Were it not for Negi's stubborn faith in rightness and his unyielding faith in the goodness of his students—of whom Chao was one—we all would have been…

"But he prevailed. Negi returned to the past and stopped Chao's plan. She disappeared shortly thereafter; perhaps only Negi-kun, Hakase-kun, and you, Eva, might know what happened to her."

_Chao Lingshen_, thought Eva. _Technologically-inclined, second only to… Hakase, yes. As much a prodigy of science as the bōya is a magical prodigy. I remember; Hakase—and Chao—built Chachamaru for me… Chachamaru, my pride—_

"UWARGH!" yelled Evangeline. She bent over in agony, hands clasped against her head. She howled with rage and anguish; static discharged over her head. Her canine teeth lengthened perceptibly, exposed in a grimace of pain.

"Evangeline!" The Dean leapt back from his desk and made to move to Eva's side, but a barrier projected between Evangeline and the outside world.

"Don't… come near, Konoe…" she panted. "My powers of Sanctuary… will keep me… from harm…"

"Is this the power of the enemy?" asked the Dean.

"No…" Eva replied weakly. The static force dissipated just as soon as it had begun, and Evangeline sagged to one knee. The Dean strode forward and knelt before her, concerned.

"No," Eva said again, "This is… different. It is like this with many of my visions… I… stop from recognizing certain things… that I should not know…"

"'Should not know…?'" repeated the Dean.

"I only understand my visions after they have come to pass. Sometimes they are glimpses of the future; other times, they are recollections of the past. I feel that my story is incomplete, that I lack a part of my identity. Thought," she mused to herself, "if I were who I was, I would not be who I am."

She opened her mouth, exhaling sharply; her fangs receded, and she cracked her neck with a brisk snap. "Hunh… Better…"

The Dean looked on with disbelief. "Are you sure you are well, Evangeline-san? Perhaps you require medical—"

"No," forestalled Evangeline. "Thank you, Konoe-jii, but that would be more trouble than it is worth. I am well. I usually have a… a psychic shield that protects me from harm, and it is adequate for when these visions strike."

"But…" the Dean paused, weighing the thought that came into his mind. "Is your shield, perhaps, compromised?"

Evangeline straightened suddenly, her face showing how aghast she was at the thought. "It is… too possible," she muttered. "I… am unguarded. For all my armour of iron and faith, I have been exposed…"

The Dean rose slowly to his feet and faced Evangeline squarely. "Evangeline-san, from what little you have told me, from the little I have seen here tonight, from what little I have gleaned from my security patrols, tells me that we are in danger. I would offer the services of the Kantō and Kansai Magic Associations and the services of Mahora Academy's magic community."

"That is… a fine gesture…" Eva replied, still shaken. "However, I must do this alone."

"Evangeline-san—" protested the Dean.

"NO, Konoe-jii!" she retorted, "I am the only one who is capable of dealing with Candelios. It is my responsibility… It is… my destiny."

Inquisitor and Dean faced each other. Mages both, they understood responsibility. The Dean's job was to facilitate the harmonious exchange of magical talent between his region of Japan, his son-in-law's, and the others, not to mention around the world. Evangeline's was to halt the spread of daemonic creatures and stop wayward psykers from unleashing their powers on the innocent. They had a common goal: prevent the forces of evil from using magic to harm humanity. In this, the Dean understood Evangeline.

"I understand," he acquiesced with a bow. "But know this, Evangeline-san: No matter what… No matter what, you are a product of Mahora. You learned to live and love again here. I know not what finally made you—No. If you do not know, if you do not remember, then perhaps I may not speak of it. Evangeline, your way seems clear: Stop Candelios the Daemon and protect Mahora Academy. I would charge you with this, if it were in my power. But if I am as powerless as you say, then I ask of you: Save them. My students, my children."

Evangeline turned away and made for the door. She opened it a crack, then paused. "On my life," she whispered, and bowed her head. A single tear dropped to the floor, and she left. The Dean returned to the high window behind his desk, and stood staring out over the campus for a long time afterwards.

* * *

Makie jogged steadily through the campus streets. It was dark now, though the streetlamps lit the way well enough for her to avoid stumbling. She was breathing hard but not heavily; she had gradually increased the distance of her run over the last month, in preparation for competition at the start of the fall term. Though she was a Baka Ranger and a cry-baby, she took her rhythmic gymnastics seriously, and was happy to have participated in the MahoraFest earlier in the summer.

She veered into a small park and paused in the lee of a tree to stretch and take her pulse. She was pleased that it wasn't too high; at the start of her longer runs, it had been difficult to go the extra mile (literally as well as figuratively), but now she covered half again as much distance as she had a month before. True, it took longer, but she treated her runs and her gymnastics more like a marathon than a sprint.

She looked up to the sky and wiped the sweat from her brow. It was far cooler now than at any other time of the day when the sun was up, but the heat lingered, warm and fragrant with the scent of flowers.

She noticed clouds beginning to roll in. _Maybe I'd better head back to the dorms for tonight_, she thought. _I'm almost done my run, and I don't want to get soaked by rain—_

"Excuse me," rumbled a voice from nearby.

"EEEP!" she yelled, looking around furiously for the source of the voice.

"Please, my dear, do not be alarmed," the voice said. A tall stranger stepped around the tree; Makie could discern none of his features, hidden as they were by his fedora, high-collared trench-coat, and the night's shadows.

"Wh-What do you want?" she quavered.

"I'm sorry for startling you," the stranger replied, bowing slightly. "I'm looking for a place to stay the night, and I had hoped to find accommodations before it became too late."

"Ah, well, you could try in town…" Makie trailed off. "This is… Mahora Campus, the school grounds. The only places to stay are the student dorms, and…"

"Ah, yes, I understand," said the stranger smoothly. "Of course, that was a lie."

"A… What?" Makie stepped back involuntarily.

"I recognize you now…" said the stranger to himself, stepping towards Makie, who backpedalled farther. "You… You were there when I arrived…"

"What are you talking about?" yelped Makie, now stepping back rapidly. She spun and made to run, but the stranger appeared before her, causing Makie to shriek and fall backwards, yelping in pain.

"You witnessed my arrival…" the stranger replied. "You were there for the battle."

"B-Battle…? Y-You don't mean with Negi-kun?" Makie gasped, trying to stand. She found that she could not; her legs were like lead.

"Ah, yes, with your precious boy-teacher, the mage," the stranger affirmed, as though to himself. "Yes, you saw all that. Your bad fortune, I'm afraid, but now good for me."

He reached down to her with one hand, an unholy light spilling around him, lighting up his features. They were like those of an old man, but beneath them—behind his eyes—Makie could see and feel an ancient and infinite malice. She broke out in a cold sweat. _What's happening?_ she cried to herself in her mind.

"_You'll do nicely", came a voice from nowhere; Makie screamed inside as she realized it was the stranger's voice, boring into her mind._

"_NOOO! GET OUT!" she shrieked "GET OUT! GET OUT—!"_

_Blackness…_

* * *

"Makie-san!"

_Slam!_ Ayaka's hand came down on the table with enough force to startle the other girls of 3-A in their seats, several rows away. Makie jerked up with a start; she had been lying facedown on her desk in a sleepy stupor, and her eyes were still glazed.

"You had best get a hold of yourself, Makie-san," Ayaka chastised her. "When I found you asleep in the lobby last night… I mean, I know that you're preparing for competition next term, but really!" Ayaka tossed her long, blonde hair. "You should find your way to your own bed!"

It was Sunday, late in the morning. At Negi's request, all of the girls who did not already have prior commitments had gathered together in their usual classroom for a summer study session. About two-dozen girls had shown up; of those who were absent, Eva and Chachamaru were (predictably) skipping, Kaede was away camping, Asuna was running papers (after which she went on to kendō practice with Sestuna), Hakase was working at the University, and Asakura and Sayo were busy editing the Weekend/Monday edition of the Mahora campus newspaper.

Negi winced at Ayaka's harsh tone. "Ayaka-san, maybe Makie-san was out later than she thought for her run, and…"

"Negi-sensei, I realize that Makie-san takes her gymnastics training very seriously," Ayaka replied in her most calming tone. "However, she knew that today was a study session, and I made sure that she would be here. And look at her!"

"Well, maybe she needs sleep more than study," Yue offered, sucking on a box of Spicy Beet Juice.

"No sense learn English on empty head!" piped up Kū Fei.

"Ugh…" Ayaka facepalmed. "The Baka Rangers, sticking together. Before you know it, you'll _all_ be skipping class without sleep…"

"Asuna _already_ sleeps in class," Haruna drawled, "it's her default state."

(Hundreds of miles—_yards_—away, Asuna sneezed mightily.)

"Girls, girls," Negi admonished, "Asuna-san does not _always_ sleep in class—"

"Yeah, not always," agreed Natsumi.

"Only when she's bored," giggled Chizuru.

"Or bored," drawled Misora.

"Or _bored~_" chorused the cheerleaders.

"_Bo~red~ (desu)_" sung the twins.

(Asuna sneezed such a great blast that it flattened the flowers across the street in their flowerbox. _Am I coming down with something?_ she wondered.)

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" shouted Ayaka; all the girls immediately fell silent.

"Ayaka-san…?" tried Negi, "Maybe Makie should excuse herself and go back to her room. It's Sunday, after all; Makie can take it easy today, and tomorrow she'll be feeling better, I'm sure."

"Um, Negi-sensei?" Ako raised her hand. "Since I'm her room-mate, maybe I should go with her?"

"Ah, yes, Ako-san. You're also a nurse, right? I'm sure you'll take good care of her."

Ako turned slightly pink from the compliment.

"Yes, sensei… As you wish." Ayaka bowed and hauled Makie to her feet. "C'mon, you slug-a-bed…"

Negi watched as Ayaka, with Makie leaning off her should, made her way out the door. He opened his book, beckoning the class to do the same.

"Now, let's turn to Page Seventy of our texts and…" He stopped, turned back to the class and scanned them briefly. "Hold on…" he muttered to himself, "where is Mana-san?"

* * *

"Mattaku, Makie…" Ayaka muttered under her breath. She half-dragged Makie along the corridors, back towards the dorms. Ako trailed along behind her, staying out of Ayaka's line of sight; whenever the class rep was in a bad frame of mind (often involving Asuna), it was best not to draw attention to oneself.

"So, Iinchō, now you're a babysitter?" came a dulcet voice from behind an ornate column.

"Mana-san!" gasped Ayaka as Mana stepped out into the open. "Where have you been?" asked Ayaka sternly, "Negi-sensei has already begun his study-session!"

"I had work to do. I still do," replied Mana. She jerked her chin at Makie. "What happened to her?"

Ayaka sighed. "She wandered in at midnight after going for a run and collapsed in the foyer. I found her and dragged her up to her room."

"Hmm…" Mana eyed Makie. Mana had been on patrol until midnight, and had sensed only the vaguest of alien magical presences on campus. She bowed without a word and turned on her heel, marching off.

"What a strange girl, Mana…" Ayaka said aloud to herself. She hitched Makie higher and restarted her walk to the dorms, Ako in step behind her.

* * *

Asuna and Setsuna clashed with bokken beside the lake. Despite the brightness of the sun and the heat of the day, the thick trees provided natural shade and privacy, for which both girls were grateful.

However, it was not kendō on which Setsuna's attention was focussed; though her movements were fluid, they were automatic, _kata_ that she had honed and could perform in her sleep, which was just as well, for her mind was preoccupied.

It was the Friday past, where Inquisitor Evangeline had begun to tell them about her mission, only for Setsuna to become possessed by a daemon. She knew now that it was far too easy for her to become possesses, for she was already predisposed to the demonic.

She had been cast out of the Bird Tribe for being a han'yō, a half-demon. She was part-human but, even worse, she was an _albino_ crow: white wings, white hair. Though she hid it well, a few of her friends and allies knew of her demonic heritage and, while she was grateful for their support, it always worried her.

She was especially worried about Konoka, her Ojōsama. Setsuna had once again put her charge and closest friend in danger with her possession. _If only I had not been so foolhardy_, thought Setsuna. _If only I had consulted someone before attempting to divine the site of the attack… And now I know that there is an evil power at work here that commands demons. Though the demon lives deep within me, I'm really just a weak human; I cannot hope to face a true demonic foe. Konoka-ojōsama… I am sorry that I have failed you…_

"_MEN!_" cried Asuna, whirling inside Setsuna's guard and aiming a blow to the latter's face. Though the two did not wear the usual training gear for kendō, they agreed that they would pull their punches and not use too-strong blows. However, Asuna's enthusiasm and Setsuna's preoccupation combined to cause Asuna's attack to strike home with great force against her unprotected opponent. Asuna's bokken smashed into Setsuna's face, knocking her to her back.

"Setsuna-san! Oh no! I'm so sorry!" Asuna cried. She dropped her blade and leapt down to aid her friend.

Setsuna lied dazed on the ground, blood trickling from her nose. "Setsuna-san, are you alright?" Asuna asked, all in a panic. "You're bleeding! Oh, no—"

"Asuna-san…" mumbled Setsuna through the blood and a swelling lip. "Relax."

Setsuna shifted her hands beneath her and tried to sit up. Asuna gripped her shoulders and eased Setsuna to a sitting position. Setsuna closed her eyes and wiped her face with her palm; it came away red. Sestuna grimaced and rose slowly to her feet. She tottered to the lake's edge, snorted, hawked, and expelled blood-laced mucus into the water, where it dissipated.

"P'tuh!" she spat again, shaking her head slowly from side to side. She blinked a few times, trying to clear her vision. She knelt down at the water's side, cupping her hands and splashing some water onto her face.

"Well," she mused, straightening up again and turning to Asuna, "that wasn't exactly lady-like, was it?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Setsuna-san," Asuna blabbered, "I wasn't—"

"No, no, Asuna-san," Setsuna held up a calming hand. "_I_ wasn't paying attention. The fault was mine, not yours. You found an opening in my guard and you struck; that is all. Though certainly, my instructors would chastise me for my negligence…" She looked down, abashed, as did Asuna.

Neither spoke for several moments, trying to think of a way to break the tension.

"Ah… A, ha, ha… So…" Asuna said, trying to laugh it off and not convincing anyone.

"I think we should stop for today, Asuna-san," Setsuna said. She walked back to their blades, lying on the ground where they had fallen, and collected them. She turned Asuna's blade over in her hands, frowning slightly. "Asuna-san…" she muttered.

"Y-Yes?" Asuna replied tentatively.

"You should know by now… Whenever you are in a battle, you cannot drop your guard or your blade. I thought that my… lapse would have demonstrated that." Setsuna held Asuna's blade out for her inspection. A scratch marred the inside of the wood. "You'll have to polish that," Setsuna admonished.

"Unnn…" Asuna groaned. She accepted the blade with both hands and a bow. "Sorry…" she muttered.

Setsuna let out a small sigh. "I'm sorry, Asuna-san. I know you were worried about me, so… But still, you have to take care of your blade."

"Hmm… My day off, and I'm stuck polishing my sword…" Asuna grumbled. "I suppose _you_ polish Yūnagi every day?" she asked Setsuna.

"No, not daily," replied Setsuna, "though if I don't check it at least once a day, I worry about it. You must respect the spirit of the blade, and it will respect you."

Asuna nodded her assent. They faced each other and bowed, then gathered their bags and made their way back to the dorms.

* * *

Asuna and Setsuna emerged from the forest pathway out into the broad east plaza, known as the World Tree Plaza, for it overlooked the World Tree and gave the best vantage point to observe it. It lay dormant now, its magical power expended, and would sleep for a score and more years before awakening again.

_The World Tree_, thought Setsuna. _The go-shinboku—the Sacred Tree. It won't bloom again for many years. We'll be long-gone from Mahora; everyone in our class will probably be married. I wonder if Konoka-ojōsama—_

"Setsuna."

Both girls froze, their feet shuffling to a stop. Mana stood on a broad landing leading up to the plaza's highest point two levels above her, arms crossed, face set in a frown. She fairly radiated displeasure.

"Mana…" muttered Asuna. "What does she want?"

"Yes, Mana-san?" asked Setsuna, "What can I do for you?"

"Skip the pleasantries, Setsuna-san," Mana replied. Deftly, she vaulted the last ten or so steps to the ground, landing with the smallest clatter at the bottom. She rose to her full height, arms crossed once again, frown still intact. "I know by now that you haven't given a report to the Dean about what happened a few days ago. Explain yourself."

Asuna bristled with indignation on Setsuna's behalf. "Now hold on, Mana-san," she began, "You're not accusing Setsuna-san of not doing her job, are—?"

"Quiet," Mana snapped at Asuna, though her face and voice did not change in the least. Asuna's mouth shut with a snap. _Right_, she thought, _I forgot; Mana's in charge of these magical patrols that Negi and Kotarō go on all the time. Setsuna and Kū Fei are also on patrols. This must be about Evangeline… Uh-oh!_

Asuna blanched involuntarily at the thought of Mana discovering Inquisitor Evangeline, and Mana detected the reaction. "So, Asuna knows that this is more important than just another break in the wards. Which sits ill with your apparent lack of forthrightness concerning _your_ role in the day's events, Setsuna-san." Mana's glare intensified, taking in both Setsuna and—by direct association—Asuna. "I know that there were four of you there that day: You two, lady Konoka, and Negi-sensei.

"Now…" She took a menacing step forward. "I can't touch Negi-sensei because he's a teacher. However, he's part of the patrols, and so I could put pressure on him—or even Kotarō, or Kū Fei, or _anyone_, really—and force him to cough up the truth. But no one would stand for that, especially since you'd go crying to anyone who'd listen about how mean I am. So he's out.

"I can't touch dear Konoka—" at the name of her lady, Setsuna twitched with suppressed indignation "—because she's the darling of the Dean and, quite frankly, I'm not about to go stirring the pot with my employer. Besides, she's likely to protect you anyway, Setsuna, so there wouldn't be much I could get out of her that isn't only half-true, even if it is by omission.

"You two, on the other hand…" She stepped forward. "You two are pretty thick-headed sometimes, but even you can see that you don't have any protection from me. You may think of running to Konoka-san or Negi-sensei and using whatever authority they can muster, but here's the thing: If you want to drag them even further into this, I _will_ make their lives miserable, as well as yours. I have my own authority, bestowed by the Dean, and I know when, where, and how to use it.

"So, you can either take this on yourselves, or you can have your friends suffer as well. And believe me; considering that I'm the patrol leader _and_—unlike you, Setsuna—I've submitted a report to the Dean already, whom do you think he's more likely to believe?"

Setsuna turned purple with rage. She knew she was cornered, and now she would have to answer to Mana.

Asuna—thick as she was—knew that there had to be something to do to get out of this dilemma. "Setsuna-san," she whispered, "why don't we just go to the Dean and tell him everything? It's really our fault when you think about it… Well, maybe yours—"

"Shut the hell up, Asuna!" barked Setsuna. "Mana has us cornered, she knows it, and she knows that we know it."

"Well, yeah, but, the Dean's _her_ boss, right? Why don't we just go to him?"

"Mana won't stand for it," replied Setsuna. "Like she said, the Dean gave her authority over the patrols; she's my immediate superior while I'm on campus. _Eventually_, I'll have to answer to the Dean—or even to Eishun-sama—but for now, I belong to Mana."

"Well?" queried Mana, lips twitching into an approximation of a satisfied smile, "Have you decided what you're going to do? It seems to me," she said, off-handedly, "that you have a choice between punishment or _more_ punishment. Normally, that would be an easy choice, but knowing you, Setsuna, you're a glutton for punishment, so…"

Setsuna's hand involuntarily went to her bokken as though she would draw it and strike. "You conniving—!"

"Asuna-san, Setsuna-san!" came a young boy's voice.

"Negi!" cried Asuna, pointing. Mana and Setsuna looked up to the plaza balcony; Negi, Konoka, Nodoka, Kū Fei, and Kotarō were all poised at the railing, looking down at the scene below.

"Setsuna-san, please don't fight Mana-san!" Negi called desperately. "Whatever quarrel you have, we can surely solve it through peaceable means!"

"Setchan, what's going on?" called Konoka. "Why are you fighting Mana-san?"

_Damn_, thought Setsuna, _if Konoka-ojōsama orders me not to fight, I have no choice. I have to figure this out—That's it!_ "Mana!" bellowed Setsuna, "I know how we can solve this! I challenge you to a Duel of Honour! What say—?"

_Crack-snap!_ One of Mana's pistols was in her hand before Setsuna even finished her declaration. She had it pointing away to the right, over Setsuna's left shoulder, but splinters of concrete shot up from behind her right foot. "Hey, dammit, Mana-san!" Asuna yelled. "That stings!" She bent down to brush her left ankle, which had a number of small cuts.

"What did happen?" shouted Kū Fei. "How Mana hit Setsuna when shot went wide?

Setsuna's eyes widened, trembling. _What the—A ricochet? Did she just fire a ricochet shot? I thought that was impossible to do on command!_

"Humph," chuckled Mana, flicking her wrist and sliding her pistol effortlessly back into its holster under her left arm. "Do you want to reconsider, Setsuna-san?"

"Oh, hell no!" shouted Setsuna. "Was that supposed to scare me or something?"

"You fool," hissed Mana, and Setsuna stepped a quarter-pace back. "_Yes_, it was supposed to scare you. I can hardly believe your temerity." She began to walk towards Setsuna, who recoiled and dropped into a fighting stance, both hands on the bokken at her side. When she was within a metre of her adversary, Mana stopped, and said in a low voice, "You realize, of course, that we require someone to judge the contest?"

"Well… yes," Setsuna managed, "but who—?"

Mana whirled around and pointed to the yellow-clad Kū Fei, who blinked and pointed at herself. "Eh? What you want me for?" she asked, perplexed.

"You're going to be our _arubaita_, Kū-san," Mana replied, smiling evilly.

"Eh?" said Kū Fei. "You say I _arubaito_? I part-time job? For what? You already have me as patroller with Kotarō, now you want me more?"

Mana laughed. "Mā, arubaita no hito wo arubaito suru ka shira, Kū-chan. Demo, kono mama de, chūsaisha ni natte, chūsai suru tsumori to omou n desu wa_ ne, Kū-chan_?" she finished, drawing her other pistol and pointing it directly at Kū's forehead.

Kū Fei blinked and nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes, I do what Mana want!" she affirmed. "What you want, then?"

"Two days, six o'clock. I'll tell you where tomorrow. You'd both better be on time." Mana holstered her pistol again and threw an aside glance at Setsuna. "I would suggest that you write an official Letter of Challenge and have it sent to the shrine, for propriety's sake. I'll forward it to the Dean, so that he can call a replacement bodyguard for Konoka-san. In case you become… indisposed."

Mana bowed her head, smiled without humour, and walked off in the direction of the Tatsumiya Shrine.

"Oh, damn…" muttered Setsuna, "what have I gotten myself into?"

* * *

Chapter Four: End

* * *

**Notes:**

1) Here's the joke: Mana says (in Gratuitous English) that Kū Fei should be their _arubaita_, the phonetic Japanese for _arbiter_,which is "a third party who intervenes between two other parties; an arbiter's resolution to the conflict is binding on both parties"; more loosely, it can be used in the sense of "referee". Kū Fei – ditzy blonde China Doll that she is – thinks that Mana called her _arubaito_, which comes from the German _Arbeit_, meaning "part-time job" or "moonlighting". Mana laughs it off and says "Mā, arubaita no hito wo arubaito suru ka shira, Kū-chan. Demo, kono mama de, chūsaisha ni natte, chūsai suru tsumori to omou n desu wa_ ne, Kū-chan_?" while pointing her gun at Kū Fei.

Translation: "Well, maybe you'll have a part-time job as an arbiter [arbiter-person], Kū-chan. However, from here on, I believe that it is your intention to be [become] our arbiter and arbitrate for us, _won't you, Kū-chan_?"

The implication of "tsumori" is that it is Kū Fei's **intention** to be the arbitrator; while Kū Fei **did not** have that intention, a gun is pretty good motivation, and she has the sense to agree.

Remember, in the "real world"—or whatever passes for the real world in Negima!—they would be speaking Japanese, and so this would be Japanese wordplay. I'm sorry; please say it's funny…

2) When Mana referred to Konoka in front of Setsuna, she did three things: a) Usually, one uses an honorific as part of polite language (_keigo_); not using one is known as _yobisute_ which, if unearned, is insulting; b) Mana called Konoka "sunao na Konoka". _Sunao_ has a variety of meanings in Japanese; it is a sort of aspiration for good children, but it can easily mean "meek" or "weak"; c) Mana was being ironic (and sarcastic).

Mana committed insults on multiple levels against Konoka, which is meant to provoke her guardian, Setsuna.

3) This is Dean Konoe's title: 学園長 (gakuenchō).

4) Here's a hint for this (and upcoming) chapters: _Negima!_ Vol.9, Seventy-Ninth Period. Read it if you can, and see what you come up with. (Heh, heh, heh…)


	5. Friend or Foe—An Alliance Tested

So here we go, with Chapter 5 of "Long Shadows Over Mahora". I hope you enjoy it!

**DISCLAIMER:** Negima and everything that goes along with it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Ken Akamatsu (who made it) and everyone else (who got a slice of the pie). I stand in no way to profit from my work (or his). Though I wish I could.

Likewise, Warhammer 40,000 and everything that goes along with it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Games Workshop, their subsidiaries, and their affiliates. I stand in no way to profit from incorporating their work into my own. Though I hope it will continue to be awesome.

**Chapter Four Recap:** The Daemon Prince Candelios makes a commune with his master, Argorax. He has found something of great power buried at Mahora, and intends to exploit it somehow…

Meanwhile, Inquisitor Evangeline reveals herself to Dean Konoe late in the evening. He himself is disturbed by Mana's report, which spoke only in brief about the Negi-gumi's encounter with an "enemy" on campus. That enemy was none other than Evangeline, whose existence is yet only known to a few. She speaks of Candelios, of her mission and her destiny to defeat him. They come to an understanding, and Eva departs to plan.

The next evening, Makie is accosted while out jogging; the next day, she is sleepy in study hall and cannot be roused by her friends. Ayaka and Ako take her back to her room; on the way, they encounter Mana, who asks about Makie's condition and appears to have some suspicious.

Asuna practices kendō with Setsuna; on their way back to the dorms, Mana confronts Setsuna about recent events. Setsuna eventually challenges Mana to a duel to regain her honour; Kū Fei is designated their arbitrator. Now, Setsuna must write her Letter of Challenge and prepare to face one of the strongest fighters in the school…

* * *

**Long Shadows Over Mahora**

* * *

Chapter Five: Friend or Foe—An Alliance Tested

* * *

Mana returned to her home, the Tatsumiya Shrine, deep in thought. She had somehow managed to provoke Sestuna, getting past whatever front the young Shinmei swordswoman was putting up and goading her into issuing that ridiculous challenge. Mana slowed her pace as she approached the shrine's front gate. If nothing else, Mana had demonstrated with her ricochet shot just how fast she was, and that she could perform such a fear near-effortlessly; it would give Setsuna something to think about.

Mana smiled just a little bit, stopping to remember MahoraFest. She had been eliminated by Kū Fei in Round 1 of the Budōkai, though just barely, and dear Kū-chan—darling of the Mahora Martial Arts Society—had been forced to withdraw due to injuries. Meanwhile, Setsuna had defeated Asuna by disqualification, beat Evangeline within the dark mage's phantasmagoria, and then lost to Negi-sensei in the semi-final round. Of course, the whole tournament had been a front…

Mana's smile turned to a frown. Yes, she had been in deep during the Festival, working with Chao to expose magic to the world, but no one seemed to hold that against her. Besides, it was a job, and she did what she was paid to do. And now, she sensed that once again, something else was driving events, something beyond the control of the Negi-gumi.

Mana shrugged. What news was that? Something or someone was _always_ driving events. Eventually, they'd sort it out. She shook her head. Setsuna might be cool and composed most of the time, but sometimes that façade would slip, and she'd reveal what a young hothead she could be. Issuing a challenge to _duel_, of all things… Mana chuckled, which in turn lead to a full-out spate of laughing. _Clearly, Setsuna doesn't remember what I did to Kū Fei at the Budōkai, and that without my guns,_ thought Mana. _And that ditz Kū was even there when I took up Setsuna's challenge. It's funny, that way: that Kū's going to be the arbiter. _Unlike_ dear Setchan, Kū probably hasn't forgotten what I did to her at the Budōkai._ She raised an eyebrow. _Probably._

Chuckling again to herself, she stepped through the gate, and immediately felt a chill, strong enough to stop her in her tracks. A shrine maiden in her own right, Mana could sense the ebb and flow of the magical and demonic through her training as a miko. Something pressed against her, a thick wall of power that pressed on her body and mind, heart and soul.

_There is something here,_ she thought. _No… some__**one**__ is here, waiting for me…_

Mana shivered for just a moment before regaining her composure. She checked the pistols in their holsters, flicking the safeties off. _I don't know who they are, but they'd better not try anything funny._

She walked briskly up to the front door. Stopping before it, she turned her head first right, then left. _To the right, I think…_

She walked more slowly now, purposefully. The floorboards on the wooden deck, laid by her ancestors generations before, creaked gently. Mana approached the corner of the building. Feeling an emanation of power, she knew that her visitor was waiting just around the other side. Mana deftly slid her pistol from its holster, cocked the hammer, pivoted, and swung her body out from the corner where she stood. Hand raised, she aimed carefully and took in the courtyard.

A figure emerged from the shadows of the huge maple before Mana. As the figure stepped into the light, Mana could not help but start in spite of herself. She was a tall, blonde woman of indeterminate age, made all the harder to tell by the hood over her head. She was resplendent in a huge suit of ornate silver armour: Seals and icons in pure silver and gold decorated her front and sides, with platinum sigils of protection and warding traced upon the plates. She wore a pair of wicked clawed gauntlets on her hands and a huge ruby ring gleamed on the middle finger of her left hand. Power fairly wafted from the woman in waves: from the wards, the seals, the sigils, the armour, and from within the woman herself, emitting a barely-concealed glow visible to the miko's trained eyes. Everything about this woman spoke of _power_.

"Who are you?" Mana demanded, her voice deep and commanding, eyes riveted on the other woman. "This is my home and my family's shrine, and you will answer to me."

"My dear," said the woman. "I come here not to harm you, but to speak with you."

"That is not reassuring," Mana replied, tense. "I don't know how you got in here…"

"Dear Mana," said the woman, causing Mana to start. _How does she know my name?_ Mana cried in her mind. "Do not fear. Believe me," she said wryly, "Though I know your skills are top-notch, if I wanted to do you harm, I could have done so in any number of ways by now. Several times over. I only want to talk."

"Well, who _are_ you?" asked Mana, irritated. _Should I just shoot her?_ Mana wondered. _I've left myself exposed far too long. Maybe this time I should have just shot _first_…_

"I wouldn't do it if I were you," the woman cautioned. Mana's eyes, already narrow, became even more so as her eyebrow contracted fiercely to a painfully narrow point. The woman waved her hands down, in a gesture of peace and pacification. "I come as a friend, not a foe. I would that we could speak on amiable terms. The problem is, perhaps, that you do not recognize me…"

The woman's gauntlets slid back from her hands, revealing long, blood-red nails. After a moment, the waves of power from her armour decreased, the sigils' glow dying down. Reaching up, she removed her hood. "Now, look upon me, and know who I am."

Mana stared. She could not believe it. In that moment, she knew the truth. Involuntarily, she lowered her pistol and stepped back. "Evangeline…" she murmured.

"Yes," said Evangeline, her voice tightening with what might have been impatience, "and if you are smarter than I believe your classmates to be, you will listen and not interrupt."

Evangeline beckoned, and Mana approached her, still wary, a pistol in hand. Eva snorted. "You needn't fear for your life, Mana," Eva said, the barest hint of sarcasm in her voice. She eyed the guns. "Not that such things could do me any harm, either."

"Forgive me," Mana replied, "but it is hardly a matter of fear. Would it do well to walk unarmed in the presence of one so powerful, though they may be in the guise of an ally?"

"Humph," Eva snorted. "You certainly aren't a fool… I'll make this brief."

Eva turned slightly to her left, clasping her hands behind her back. "I am Evangeline, yes, but I am not the one you know. I have travelled here, to this time and place, from the far future. Ask not how, or how far, for it is beyond what you could comprehend, even were you to try."

Eva glanced sidelong at Mana, whose eyes sparkled with just-concealed amusement. "Try me," Mana drawled. "How far in time?"

Eva sniffed. "Thirty-eight millennia. Thirty-eight _thousand_ years in the future."

Mana gave a low whistle. "Must have been quite a trip… And quite an important reason for coming back so far in time," she observed, no trace of sarcasm in her voice.

"Yes, well, it was no picnic, I'll give you that," Eva spat, seeming to be displeased.

Mana shook her head. "Evangeline-san, we were never enemies, nor had we any reason to be. I will not give cause for you cause to tarry in your mission; only tell me what it is you want from me."

Eva turned back to face Mana. "Forgive me," she muttered. "The boy-teacher and his thick-headed friends make life difficult for me…"

"Of that, I'm sure," Mana conceded.

"What I wish of you is this." Eva slid the ring off her finger and presented it to Mana. "This ring is what we call a 'digital weapon'. It is an ingenious piece of technology, created by a lost alien race. It allows its bearer to take advantage of openings in close combat, when the enemy is distracted. While it is useless at range, and hardly foolproof, it can often give the edge to a warrior when it counts."

Mana took the ring gingerly and slid it onto her left middle finger. The small crystal embedded within flashed briefly.

"The ring has locked in your genetic profile," Eva stated. "Now, you must use mind-impulse control to fire it. Focus on the muscles in your hand and finger. Try it out."

Mana looked for a suitable target. About five feet away was a glossy black pebble, about twice the size of a bottle cap. Mana raised her arm, concentrated, and tensed her hand. A flash, and a laser beam shot out, turning it to ash.

"Not bad," Eva said approvingly. "I want you to use this in your duel with Setsuna."

Mana looked over quizzically. "I won't ask you how you know, but why should I use this? You think I need—?"

"_Also_," Eva stated pointedly, "I would have you ask no questions."

Mana frowned, turning to face Eva head on. "Evangeline-san," she stated levelly, "I have not gotten along so far in my life by asking _no_ questions; rather, I ask the ones that must be asked, and choose them with care. I wish to know: What do you wish me to accomplish?"

"You are aware that Negi was attacked a few weeks ago, yes?" Eva queried. Mana nodded her assent. "That was no ordinary attack, as I'm sure you can believe," Eva continued. "I want you to draw Setsuna—and her peanut gallery—towards the campus' southern plaza. Do not make it too obvious, though that should surely not be difficult for someone of your skill." Eva smirked. "Even if the Negi Patrol guess that you are drawing Setsuna into a… Ahem! Was I about to say 'trap'?" She smiled sweetly, with no humour. "There is something there in the plaza, something that is waiting to awaken… I want it to show itself, and it probably has something to do with Setsuna."

"So…" Mana studied the ring on her finger. "You want me to duel Setsuna to a stalemate and lead her to the plaza? And this ring?" She held up her hand.

"An… insurance policy. For you." Eva shrugged.

Mana's eyes darkened just a shade. "I hope you believe my skill is enough for this mission," she said coolly. "For your own sake, that is."

Eva laughed heartily. "Oh, but I'm sure it is, my dear. I have no doubt that you can handle Setsuna. She is not the most dangerous thing, though. This… thing, in the plaza… It is quite powerful. I would not wish to see you harmed. Hence, the ring."

Mana again studied the inconspicuous digital weapon. "As you will," she replied nonchalantly. "Now, about my payment…"

"I will speak with your Headmaster," Eva said, forestalling Mana with a raised hand. "Since you will be doing a service to your school—not to mention your city, country, and the _world at large_—you will be well-compensated; I will see to that."

Eva turned and made to depart. "Hold a moment," said Mana. Eva stopped, half-turning to the mercenary miko. "What is this… thing that you are seeking?"

Eva blinked, and let out a small sigh. Then, with a small, quirky smile, she said, "We call it a _daemon_. You probably know it as an _akuma_, though such a word can barely hold all the evil power that such a being represents. It is a thing of incomparable power, and it will try to ensnare the unwary. Be ready."

Mana smirked. "_Daemon_… Now, that sounds like something I can handle."

Eva turned away without a word. Walking into the shadows, she vanished from sight, leaving Mana to contemplate the odd events of the last few hours.

* * *

_Mana should give me no trouble,_ thought Inquisitor Evangeline as she strode away. She depressed a small button on the inside wrist of her left gauntlet, and a haze wrapped itself around her. She had taken the stealth-field generator off of a Tau Stealthsuit several years ago and, working with Archmagos Veldor, had managed to reverse engineer the technology to work for her. Essentially, her armour was a metal version of the rare cameleoline cloth that forest regiments used. With the integrated stealth field, all she had to do was invoke the machine spirits and her armour would blend into its surroundings.

Eva frowned, thinking to what she had told Mana. _"Daemon. A thing of incomparable power. Be ready."_ _Indeed_, she thought to herself, _I feel the strings of fate tugging at me, the thinnest strands rustling like fine silk against my consciousness. Damn the daemons! My life would be so much easier were they extinguished. And yet, we may banish them to the Warp, but they swarm and thrive on the baseness of men. How I no longer envy Setsuna the way I did, and yet perhaps I might still. I, vampire sorceress; she, han'yō. We both fight against our nature, not to mention the very creatures who are our kin._

_No!_ she thought, shaking her head to clear the unruly thoughts within. _They may be "like" us, but they are no kin. Daemons prey on the innocent and have no thought for life. Though they called me vampire and demon, I am those things no longer. I will give my life for the bōya and his friends, and in doing so, I will be redeemed. The boy has taught me that much… As has Setsuna. And even then, neither of them have the luxury of eternal life to ponder the mysteries of the cosmos and shrive their sins. As for me, I have had an eternity of penitence, and perhaps I found solace in my service to the Emperor, but it was not enough, not for me. My only fear… is to leave my work undone._

She shivered, partly out of fear, partly out of a feeling of mortality that had been, for the longest time, alien to her. Yet now, as she faced what would probably, _finally_, be the last battle, she could not help but feel apprehensive. If it was the last, then after that… she would be gone. It would be over, for good, for ill… for all.

_I hope Mana prays hard._

* * *

Indeed, though Evangeline could not have known for sure, Mana retreated to the inner sanctum of her shrine to pray. She changed into the garb of a miko after purifying herself in cool water, lit incense before a hanging Buddhist scroll, and invoked a sutra.

While it may come as a surprise that Mana—a Shinto priestess—might call upon the Buddha, both religions have become entwined to the point that they exist side-by-side in harmony, and many people will perform both types of rituals, even at temples and shrines of the other religion.

In this instance, Mana was not concerned with her worldly self or with living; rather, she was concerned about the state of her soul and the possibility of death. A pragmatist when it came to doing jobs and getting paid, she was still a priestess, and so had a healthy appreciation for the spiritual, the demonic, and the afterlife.

As she chanted, her mind relaxed, and she began to perceive some of the difficulties inherent in the coming battle. First, she had to fight Setsuna. Though the Shinmei swordswoman was still young and hot-headed, she was a skilled fighter nonetheless, with demon-banishing skills equal to Mana's by anyone's estimation. Though she could not say it, Mana was glad that Setsuna would be around when the ectoplasm started to fly.

The next problem was not only fighting Setsuna, but "winning": not losing, and also not crippling or outright slaying her subordinate. Setsuna might be dumb sometimes, but she was a useful—oh, fine, _valuable_—ally in the protection of Mahora. Not to mention, if Mana did too much harm to Setsuna, she would have three generations of powerful Konoes after her hide…

However, the real battle was not with Setsuna, nor was it even getting her to the southern plaza as Evangeline instructed. It was whatever was lurking there that was the problem. Mana frowned. _"I'd have you ask no questions,"_ she had said. Mana did _not_ rise to her position by not asking questions, and she had said as much to Evangeline. Evangeline relented just enough to satisfy Mana, at least at that moment, by telling her that it was an _akuma_. But she had also said that it was far more powerful and evil than a mere _akuma_.

_I remember Ryomen-no-Sukuna from Kyoto_, Mana thought. _The powerful guardian, sealed away so long ago. That was a fierce enemy, and it required Evangeline's intervention—Evangeline? Wait a moment… Wait… What…? Why did I not think to question it before? If "our" Evangeline were to help… But her powers are sealed…_

Mana frowned, her chants falling away as her concentration lapsed. _What to do… I don't think that our Evangeline can help us. Not that I'd want to ask her help anyway… I wonder if our Evangeline knows about this?_

Mana's eyes snapped open. _I'm going to ask her,_ she decided. _I'm going to ask our Evangeline for help. Surely she will…_

With that decided, Mana closed her eyes again and began to recite the sutras anew.

* * *

"Out of the question, Evangeline!" snapped the Dean.

"Oh, you bothersome old codger!" snapped the diminutive blonde back at him.

The Dean was arguing with Evangeline—the _original_, the short one. He had been shocked when she flew into his office in a towering rage—incredible since, given that she was about five-foot-nothing, she towered above _nothing_ but mice and ants—and banged her fist on his desk, demanding that he tell her what was going on about the enemy that had come on to campus two weeks prior.

They had been slinging barbs back and forth for about ten minutes, which gave Chachamaru—still in her school uniform, like Eva, since they had just come from class—time to prepare tea for her Master and the Dean.

"Master, your tea is ready," announced the robot. She placed the tray delicately on the Dean's desk; he responded with a vague nod, his eyes still fixed on Eva. Chachamaru bowed and returned to her Master's side.

"Dammit, old man, you now full-well that Negi and his little band of school girls are going to get themselves killed for naught and, while I don't particularly care for them one way or the other, it will _not_ do for my peace and quiet if we have a magical riot on our hands! Not to mention that you will come crying to me _anyway_ for help sooner or later, so spill it already! _What is going ON?_"

The Dean pinched his nose and exhaled irritably. Normally an unassuming and unprepossessing man, he had quickly reached his limit with Eva's antics.

"Master, your tea—" "Quiet, Chachamaru," Eva commanded peremptorily, if not angrily. Chachamaru lapsed into silence immediately.

_Knock, knock._ "Gakuenchō-sama?" came a woman's voice.

_Mana_, thought Eva and the Dean simultaneously. The Dean made to open the door, but Chachamaru went ahead of him. The robot opened the heavy portal to admit Mana, dressed in her own school outfit. She strode forward, bowed before the Dean's desk, and looked curiously at Evangeline, standing beside her.

_What could _she_ be doing here?_ wondered Eva. _Oh, wait, I can answer that: She's here about the same thing I am. Maybe we can get what we want together…_

"I see that the esteemed head of campus security has joined us," Eva said without rancour, "Perhaps _she_ can shed some light on what has happened recently?"

Mana glanced at Eva from the corner of her eye. Eva noticed what might have been a tiny smile curling about the miko's lips, but Mana hid it well.

"Dean Konoe," began Mana, "you may not be aware of this yet, but Setsuna has challenged me to a duel tomorrow."

"A what?" spluttered the Dean. "A duel? Of honour? Why?"

"Hmm…" sighed Mana theatrically, pinching the tip of her nose gently. Eva could see that the smile had returned to Mana's lips, and was visible only to the two of them.

Eva suppressed a smirk of her own. _This should be good,_ she thought. _I wonder if there will be blood… Chachazero would like that._ The thought persisted, and Eva could not keep a tiny smile from tugging at her own lips; her fangs showed just the smallest bit in anticipation.

"Well, to be honest, I might have accidentally provoked her. You see, I confronted her about her failure to report the enemy that appeared a few days ago—"

"What?" cut in Evangeline, all traces of a smile vanishing. "You mean to tell me that the same enemy has returned, and you've all done _nothing_? Imbeciles!" she muttered, turning away.

"Perhaps," said Mana, pretending that Eva had not burst out as she had. "All I know is that Setsuna has yet to say anything to me. As her _supervisor_—" she looked pointedly at the Dean "—I should know about these things, but I do not. You read my report, did you not, Dean?"

"I did, Mana," replied the Dean. He sat down slowly and adjusted his robes, giving himself time to consider his next reply. _I was right_, he thought. _Mana is going to deal with Setsuna in her own way. Though provoking a duel… I cannot prove that Mana did it deliberately, but I can guess. And _allowing _herself to be provoked… Setsuna, how foolish._

"So, Tatsumiya-kun, what now?" asked the Dean.

"Tomorrow at six o'clock, we duel," Mana responded simply. "Setsuna is supposed to write a formal Letter of Challenge and deliver it to me soon. When she does, I will put my seal on it and forward it to you. Since this is an internal matter to the patrol group, you needn't worry unduly about it. Think of it as discipline."

"So long as it stays _internal_ and _disciplinary_," the Dean stressed. Mana simply bowed.

_Boring_, thought Eva. "Oh, Mana, may I watch? Pretty please?" asked Eva coyly.

Mana looked down at her and chuckled. "Actually—"

"_Actually_," came a voice that froze everyone, including Chachamaru in her own way, "you came here to ask Evangeline to do just that, didn't you, Mana?"

"_Voice recognition indicates an imposter_," intoned Chachamaru.

"_Imposter?_" came the indignant reply, "Chacha, how can you say that?"

Through the door stepped the now-familiar armoured figure of—

"Evangeline!" spoke the Dean and Mana as one.

"What the bloody hell is this?" yelled tiny Eva.

Chachamaru blinked. "Sensory data indicates a 94.2% match of physical features and personality traits. Evangeline Athanasia Katherine 'Kitty'—"

"Chachamaru!" both blondes shouted, "shut up!"

"Yes, Master," bowed Chachamaru, first to the small one, then to the Inquisitor.

"…Now that we have that settled," hissed the diminutive blonde, "I say again: What the bloody hell is this?"

The Inquisitor smiled, with no trace of humour. "We have much to discuss."

* * *

"Well, there you bloody are, Mana," said Eva huffily, "I'll be no bloody use to you since there is no bloody Moon to bloody well take advantage of."

The five were still closeted in the Dean's office, Konoe having instructed the secretary to have no one disturb him until otherwise ordered, also instructing that food for five be sent immediately. While they ate, the Inquisitor told her audience as much as she could about her mission. Now, all of them knew the pieces of the puzzle, even those that had happened just prior to the Inquisitor's arrival and her subsequent dealings with Setsuna and her friends.

"Damnation, but there was a full moon _hours_ before Candelios arrived…" hissed the Inquisitor. "If only we had been there to take advantage…"

"Well, I _did_ fight your Daemon Prince," replied Eva, "I thought I got him, but he vanished. The bōya is lucky that he survived…"

"Indeed…" replied the Inquisitor. "Could it be him that Candelios is after?"

"I doubt it," replied Eva flatly. "The boy is overflowing with magic, but he has no control. Same with Konoka. The other little birds that flit about the boy have barely any magic at all, despite the fact that they have Artefacts. The most powerful one, aside from the boy, Setsuna, or Konoka, is probably that brute Asuna."

"_Magic Cancel_…" breathed the Inquisitor. "We _need_ that… With it, she is practically _untouchable_…"

"Were that this Candelios weren't so untouchable," murmured Eva dryly.

The Dean and Chachamaru both shook their heads, both in their own way mesmerized by the exchange going on between the original Eva and the inquisitorial Evangeline.

"Well, I'm still up to luring Setsuna to the attack site," Mana finally stated, looking at the Inquisitor. "Is that still the plan?"

"Yes…" The Inquisitor looked distracted. "But I fear that we need something more…"

"I believe that a few days ago, you were distraught over the possibility of failing yourself and us, but felt that you were equal to the task" the Dean interjected. "Now, you speak as if you doubt that."

The Inquisitor's eye flamed. "Dammit, Konoe—" she growled.

"Pardon me," Chachamaru broke in, in her impeccably polite tone, "but perhaps _I_ could be of assistance?"

Everyone looked to her. Chachamaru was Eva's ministra, her contracted partner. She was part-magic, part-machine, and utterly loyal to her Master.

"Chachamaru…" muttered the Inquisitor thoughtfully.

"What if I forbid you, baka robot?" Eva shot at her ministra. "What if I don't want you getting broken for this stupid feud?"

"It's hardly a stupid feud," growled the Inquisitor. "Do you not recognize your fate when you see it? You are an immortal; surely you realize that you will share my fate in time? How 'stupid' does that make this situation?"

"I'd only be the stupid one if I didn't learn from this," Eva retorted.

"So then do as Chachamaru suggests and have her help me!" the Inquisitor shot back. "If she can help me, she helps you! _Quid pro quo_, as they say."

"Keh." Eva made a disgusted noise in her throat. "Fine. As you wish. What do you want of her?"

The Inquisitor stood to her full regal height. "A Dreadnought," she pronounced.

"A _what?_" Eva shook her head, incredulous. "You want a _battleship_? What insanity—?"

"_Not_ a battleship," replied the Inquisitor. She looked at Chachamaru again. "I realize that it might well be the ultimate in tech-heresy… But Chachamaru has given me an idea."

"What is this 'dreadnought' to which you refer?" queried Mana.

"A Dreadnought is a type of powered armour," replied the Inquisitor. She gestured to herself. "You see this? This is called 'Tactical Dreadnought Armour', better known as 'Terminator' armour. This is the best protection that any Imperial servant can have. It is a scaled-down, man-sized version of Dreadnought armour. Both of them use neural-linkages to replicate the movements and enhance the strength of the wearer.

"Only proven veterans are permitted to wear Terminator armour. Likewise, when a Space Marine veteran—an Astartes hero—is mortally wounded, they have the chance to be interred in Dreadnought armour."

"_Interred?_" Mana blinked in disbelief. "You mean that the Astartes bury their soldiers alive?"

"In a way," replied the Inquisitor. "They are placed inside the Dreadnought, which is part sarcophagus, part life-support system. They are almost walking tanks, save that there is a living pilot inside, hooked directly to the machine's systems. You could consider them cyborgs, if you wish.

"Now, Chachamaru—" she indicated the robot "—is a gynoid: a robot with an almost-human artificial intelligence. She is also powered by—ahem!—Evangeline's magic."

The participants looked crosswise at each other; it was the first time that the Inquisitor had said "her own name" aloud.

"Earlier, I had a vision about Chachamaru, and I remembered that Hakase and Chao Lingshen had built her for… us." The Inquisitor grinned lopsidedly at Eva, who returned the smile with a huff. "We have one day before the duel; if we can get Hakase to build us a proto-Dreadnought, with Chachamaru inside, with a working cybernetic and organic interface…"

"… 'He who has the most guns, kicks butt'" Eva quipped. "I remember telling the bōya that; I'm glad I didn't forget."

Eva and the Inquisitor laughed together; whatever friction they had because of acknowledging each other's existence had eroded, and now they were of an accord.

"I fear that I can do little to help you prepare for your duel, Mana," the Inquisitor apologized. "I will have to oversee Hakase's work. It's a pity Chao isn't here; as I recall, she was quite the tech-wizard… UWAGH!"

A halo of static discharged around the Inquisitor. She gritted her teeth, head bowed, and dropped to her knees. Chachamaru leapt up and activated a magic-dampening field. The psychic blast fizzled out quickly.

"Ooh…" The Inquisitor held her head in her hands.

"I presume Aspirin won't help with that," Mana commented sardonically.

"Shut up," snapped the Inquisitor. Mana shrugged.

"I clearly said too much," the Inquisitor murmured to herself. "I must be careful what I reveal. Eva, will you help?"

"With Hakase? Why bloody not?" Eva drawled. "Since you and she are going to be tampering with my ministra, I suppose that I'd better supervise."

The Inquisitor nodded her thanks. "Chachamaru, I suppose you are agreeable?"

"If it will help Master and Negi-sensei, I am yours to command," replied the robot, bowing.

The Inquisitor withdrew a small vial of silvery stuff from her armour and handed it to Mana. "This is for you," she said. Mana accepted it with both hands and stared at it. "That is an unguent of warding," the Inquisitor explained. "I presume that you modify your own ammunition somewhat. If you take a small amount of that and anoint a batch of ammo, it will be much stronger against Candelios and his ilk."

She placed a hand on Mana's shoulder. "I probably don't have to tell you this, but… pray hard. You are a priestess; your powers are great, greater than you can imagine. Faith is our greatest weapon against Candelios: faith and purity. Cleanse yourself as ritual and tradition demand, and pray to your ancestors for strength." The Inquisitor turned to the Dean. "I request that you exempt Mana Tatsumiya from all school and extracurricular activities for the next forty-eight hours, in preparation for her duel. The same with Hakase. Also, step up the patrol schedule around the western campus; Candelios might try to lead us astray or ambush us there, so let's play his game. Patrol groups of at least three, and exempt Setsuna-kun from them."

The Dean nodded mutely. The Inquisitor removed the delicate chain from her armour and handed it to Mana. "This is the sign of my Order, and a symbol of my power, granted to me by the God-Emperor. From now on, like the ring I gave you, wear it about your person, but do not reveal it until Candelios has shown his hand. Then, show it proudly, in the name of the Inquisition and the Emperor."

The Inquisitor stood again, beckoning for her companions to do the same. "By the authority of the Immortal Emperor of Mankind," she intoned, "I, Evangeline, Senior Inquisitor of the Ordo Malleus, do hereby take command of those present, their resources and their means, for the furtherance of the God-Emperor's sovereign will. You will fulfil allegiance to the Golden Throne, and you shall not waver in your duty."

She turned to the door and activated her stealth field. "Let us go," came her disembodied voice, "The Emperor Protects."

* * *

"Setsuna-san, this is not acceptable behaviour for students of 3A!" Negi chastised, his voice cracking and breaking with the stress of it.

Negi, Asuna, Konoka, Setsuna, and Kū Fei were all gathered in one of Mahora's fine campus parks. Setsuna had completed her Letter of Challenge a short time ago; she had been about to deliver it when Kaede—returned home a day later than she had hoped from camping—arrived to find them arguing.

"Ooh, so Setsuna-dono and Mana-dono will duel for their honour, with Kū Fei-dono officiating," Kaede summarized. "Well, this one means to go for a relaxing stroll, and so would be most happy to deliver your letter to Mana-dono, _de gozaru wa_."

"Thank you, Kaede-san," Setsuna acknowledged. She passed the letter to Kaede, who placed it carefully in her scrip.

"Setsuna-dono," Kaede began slowly.

"What is it, Kaede-san?" Setsuna asked.

"This one would be most grateful if you would do her the honour of allowing this one to accompany you to your duel as your second on the field of battle, _de gozaru yo_, Setsuna-dono," Kaede replied.

Setsuna blinked. "My second? You want to accompany me?"

"_Hai_, _de gozaru_."

"Why?" Setsuna demanded, a little too strongly.

"Mana-dono was… underhanded during the Budōkai," replied Kaede, her eyes opening just a little, showing a hard edge that was often belied by Kaede's easygoing nature. "This one never fought her one-on-one, but Mana-dono's strength is great. And if Mana-dono were to pull more tricks now…" Kaede shrugged, her smile returning. "This one would merely like to watch your back, _de gozaru sa_."

"Oh… Thank you," Setsuna said simply. There was nothing more to say. Without a word, Kaede bowed and took her leave, sauntering off towards the Tatsumiya Shrine.

Now, with the Challenge official, Setsuna just wished that Negi and them would _shut UP _and let her meditate.

"Setchan, isn't this dangerous?" Konoka piped up, worried.

"Ojōsama, this is an honour duel. The rules are that whoever gives up first loses. We're not going to kill each other; I'll be fine. I plan on winning anyway," Setsuna said easily, "so I don't see why—"

"But Mana's your _boss!_" Asuna said pleadingly, as though Setsuna should know better. "She's the baddest woman on campus, everyone knows that! And don't you think that the Dean doesn't want you fighting?"

"If he does not wish it, he will say so," replied Setsuna.

"Fine, but what about Konoka?" Asuna switched tack with all the subtlety of a charging boar. [Come to think of it, hasn't that metaphor been applied to Asuna before…?—_Ed._] "What about her feelings?"

"Konoka-ojōsama should know better than anyone about the Konoe family's honour," Setsuna returned. "I am a part of that family, and my actions recently have been shameful. I must prove to Mana-san that I still have my honour."

"By fighting your classmate and boss." Asuna shook her head. "C'mon, twerp," she directed at Negi, "we're not getting through to bird-brain; let her do her thing."

She grabbed the protesting boy-teacher by the scruff of his neck and hauled him off. Konoka waited a moment then, with a gusty sigh, followed Asuna.

Kū Fei kicked the ground. "Setsuna do her best, make things right!" she exclaimed, then wandered off.

_I certainly intend to, Kū_, Setsuna thought. _I intend to…_

* * *

The first thing that Mana saw upon returning to the Shrine was the red torii gate that marked the entrance to the sacred temple precinct. Actually, what she _saw_ was _Kaede_, of all people, lounging by the gate, back against a column, one knee bent up, left arm cradling her right, hand on her chin, whistling tunelessly as she stared at the near-cloudless sky. The sound of Mana's feet, stirring up dirt and dust, caught the kunoichi's attention.

"Ah, Mana-dono," exclaimed Kaede, straightening. Mana noticed the way that Kaede's hand went casually to the scrip slung down to her waist. "This one brings greetings from Setsuna-dono, and her Letter of Challenge, _de gozaru_."

Kaede bowed and withdrew the letter from the scrip. Mana snatched it with the fingers of one hand, shook its four quarters open, and read it briefly. She looked up at Kaede, who smiled easily. "Is there anything this one may do for you, Mana-dono?" asked Kaede pleasantly. "This one would have you know that Setsuna-dono has accepted this one as her second upon the field of battle. Perhaps this one should note that in the Letter, _de gozaru ne?_"

Mana shook her head, a tiny flick of annoyance. _What's the saying, "don't shoot the messenger"? It _had_ to be Kaede._ "Wait here," she instructed brusquely, and vanished inside the shrine.

Kaede resumed her whistling as she stared into the blue sky. A few moments later, Mana reappeared, the letter clutched in her hand. She handed it to Kaede, who noted the Tatsumiya stamp at the bottom.

"I have duly received this Letter of Challenge and accept you, Kaede, as Setsuna's second," she stated formally. "If it is not too much trouble, would you kindly deliver this to the Dean of Mahora?" she asked, a trace of sarcasm marring the sincerity of her words.

"This one would be most honoured," Kaede said, bowing. "May this one inquire as to the location of your duel, for Setsuna-dono's instruction?"

"The south-west plaza," Mana replied, turning. "Tomorrow, six o'clock sharp." She marched away without another word.

Kaede smiled, bowing to Mana's retreating form. "As you wish, Mana-dono" she murmured. She turned to go her own way; a report echoed from behind her, and the thin cord of her scrip snapped, causing it to slither to the ground. A wisp of dust puffed up from the ground ahead, to Kaede's left. Kaede turned slowly back around; Mana held a smoking pistol in her hand, aimed off to the right.

"Kaede," Mana warned in a voice that brooked no argument, "I know that you are strong, maybe even as strong as me. I saw how well you did in the Budōkai. But I warn you, this is between me and Setsuna; don't interfere."

Mana spun on her heel and went inside. Kaede stooped to recover the scrip. "Oh, this one would never interfere, Mana-dono," Kaede whispered, "not unless you were up to something devious. Then, this one would never sit back and allow your underhanded ways to go unpunished, _de gozaru yo!_"

* * *

_That night, there was far more on the minds of the Negi-gumi than a carefree vacation or even the dreaded summer homework. Each had in their mind an enemy to confront and defeat, and each had a different reason for doing so._

_Setsuna fought for honour, to redeem herself, to purge herself of the guilt and shame of failing her friends. She meditated long and alone, dressed in the traditional garb of her people, asking them for strength._

_Negi, Asuna, and Konoka tried to think of how they could dissuade Setsuna from clashing with Mana, which was sure to leave a bitter taste in their mouths no matter who emerged the victor, though it came to naught. They resigned themselves simply to supporting Setsuna, and praying that she was not injured in her duel._

_Mana chanted her sutras long into the night, meticulously applying the sacred unguent that the Inquisitor had gifted her onto several clips' worth of ammunition. She also retrieved a small clasp knife, gifted to her by Eishun Konoe during the Kyoto trip. Made of pure silver, the blade had the__ kanji for sun__ (_日; _nichi) on one side and the kanji for moon (_月_; tsuki) on the other. It reminded her of the principal of duality, on'tō or yin-yang. Especially for her, it reminded her of her role as protector at Mahora; surely, this is what Eishun meant with the gift. She applied a dab of the blessed oil on the blade, and whispered a prayer of protection for Setsuna._

_Inquisitor Evangeline, along with her current-era counterpart, badgered and cajoled Hakase into building a suit of Dreadnought armour for Chachamaru. Hakase complained bitterly about the short time available to her, but conceded that, if they deemed it necessary, she would do her utmost to get the job done, vowing to work all night and day to ensure its completion. Using the Inquisitor's armour as a template, as well as remnants of the plans that Chao used to build her magitech army short months ago, they were able to get a workable plan going and, by late the next day, they would have a working Dreadnought._

_The Dean stared for long hours out of his window again, wondering at the turn of events. __"That this should have happened at Mahora…" he mused. "It will not be long now. Destiny has run its course for this place; this will be the spark that pushes Negi and his friends to their fate. Hmm… 'The Emperor Protects…' __**I**__ndeed…"_

* * *

"_So, Inquisitor," mulled Candelios, "you scurry around and draw these humans to you. What do you hope to accomplish? Do you believe that if your precious Grey Knights could not defeat me, a few children would be equal to the task?"_

_He peered up into the gloom around him, at the vast, subterranean tangle of roots, roots that surely belonged to a giant tree…_

"_We shall see what you can make of this, Inquisitor… Entertain me, at least, before you die…"_

* * *

Chapter Five: End

* * *

**Notes:**

1) For those familiar with either Negima or Rurouni Kenshi (or unfamiliar with both), both Kaede and Kenshin use the formal "sessha" (translated, somewhat stiffly, as "this one") when referring to themselves in the 1st person. _Sessha_ is a self-deprecating personal pronoun which carries the implication that the user (normally samurai) are "unworthy" (i.e., humble). They also use the formal _de gozaru_ (from which comes _desu_ and _arimasu_ in the modern tongue), and will usually refer to others with the honorific title -_dono_ ("lord" or "lady").


	6. The Shadow Rises

So here we go, with Chapter 6 of "Long Shadows Over Mahora". I hope you enjoy it!

**DISCLAIMER:** Negima and everything that goes along with it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Ken Akamatsu (who made it) and everyone else (who got a slice of the pie). I stand in no way to profit from my work (or his). Though I wish I could.

Likewise, Warhammer 40,000 and everything that goes along with it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Games Workshop, their subsidiaries, and their affiliates. I stand in no way to profit from incorporating their work into my own. Though I hope it will continue to be awesome.

**Chapter Five Recap:** After Mana confronts Setsuna (the latter challenging the former to an honour duel), Inquisitor Evangeline reveals herself to Mana and enlists her aid. She sets a "trap" for Setsuna, hoping to reveal their mutual enemy when the duel is underway, and gives Mana a digital weapon to defend herself. Evangeline leaves Mana, who enters the shrine to pray.

The next day, Evangeline—the original—confronts the Dean about the enemy on campus. Mana comes in as well and informs the Dean about the honour duel. The Inquisitor joins them, and the five cook up a plan to lure out Candelios during the upcoming duel, after which she formally conscripts her comrades to the service of the Golden Throne.

Meanwhile, Setsuna completes her Letter of Challenge and delivers it to Mana's shrine, care of Kaede, and fends off the Negi-gumi's pleading that she abandond the duel. Mana takes the Letter with ill-humour from Kaede when she returns to the shrine and accepts Kaede as Setsuna's second, as per Kaede and Setsuna's wishes.

That night, each of the participants have much to think about. Setsuna and Mana pray for strength, the Negi-gumi pray for a resolution to the fight, and both Evangelines work with Hakase to construct Dreadnought armour for Chachamaru, while the Dean ponders the recent turn of events long into the night.

Meanwhile, beneath Mahora, Candelios muses on the situation, as well as the giant tree-roots that pierce beneath the campus grounds…

**Author's Note:** I just about had an aneurysm when I finally found a timeline for the manga. My dates were _so_ off, it's not even funny... So, another retcon. Many appologies...

* * *

**Long Shadows Over Mahora**

* * *

Chapter Six: The Shadow Rises

* * *

"Ooh, this'll never work…" Hakase muttered under her breath. "Inquisitor, the neural linkages are all wrong!"

"Why? I thought you had that problem sorted out." The Inquisitor put down her cup of tea and stood up, stretching, noting idly that it was now 5a.m.—the morning of Tuesday, July 22, 2003—and that Hakase had yet to go to sleep. The Inquisitor drew her thin robe around her; her cloak hung from the rack near the door.

"Well… Your armour has neural integrators based around several different major points: heart, lungs, arm and leg muscles, and brain and spine." Hakase pointed them out on an anatomical display on one of her monitors, lit up in red in comparison to other green areas. "Chachamaru doesn't have all those things; she's a robot, remember?" She compared Chachamaru's display—almost entirely in yellow—to a normal human's

"Well, wouldn't it be _simpler_, then?" asked Eva, lounging in an armchair. "If she doesn't have all those fleshy parts getting in the way, why not just connect her right to the main controls, or whatever?"

"Evangeline-san, you don't understand," Hakase replied. She pointed at the Inquisitor's Terminator armour, standing by itself and hooked up to Hakase's mainframe. "The Inquisitor's armour has all of these delicate interface sensors that are _designed_ to integrate a human pilot to the Terminator armour. And this is _small-scale_. From what the Inquisitor tells me, a true Dreadnought has lots of life-support and cyber-organic systems, isn't that so?"

"It is, Hakase," affirmed the Inquisitor. "However, why not design a system that is based around Chachamaru? What we need most are armour and weapons, not life-support."

"Yes, but then there's another, related problem." Hakase nodded to Chachamaru, who was in power-conservation mode, propped up next to the Terminator armour. She had several added layers of armour—extra material from the magi-tech robots—and a few large-bore energy weapons lay on a work station nearby. "If you need as much firepower as you say you do… Well, even you must know that the power source is going to be the most difficult thing."

"Power source?" Eva straightened up in her seat slightly. "You mean, what? Nuclear? Magical? Lots of things that can go 'boom'?"

"It doesn't even matter if it's powered by vegetable oil or pixie dust," Hakase retorted, "but it has to be enough to keep Chachamaru online, mobile, and with weapons. I don't think we can do that with our technology." She turned to the Inquisitor. "I'm sorry, Lady Evangeline, but—"

"Dammit, Hakase, I don't accept that!" The Inquisitor slammed her hand on a table. "You and Chao built an army of magi-tech robots; hell, you built Chachamaru! How hard can it be to build something that is a fusion of the two? I am willing to pardon your tech-heresy, but if you don't comply—"

"It's because of the World Tree!" Eva bolted upright. "You and Chao used the World Tree's power for yourselves, just like Chachazero needed it to move around! DAMN!" Eva kicked a piece of scrap metal; it flew and _pinged_ off of the Terminator armour. The Inquisitor turned slowly towards Eva, who smirked.

"What, going to burn me at the stake?" Eva taunted. "Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt. Too small," she added, "especially when I grow my—"

The glare that the Inquisitor turned on Eva at that moment—if not exactly enough to freeze her blood in her veins—cooled her just enough to silence her.

"So, the World Tree again…" mused the Inquisitor. "You needed the overflow of magical power to work your schemes, and now that is gone… The _framework_ for your magi-tech army has been effectively dismantled, and I was thinking in the wrong terms…"

"We need some kind of dynamo, something to produce power…" Hakase looked around the room, seeking inspiration. Her eyes settled on Evangeline, and a glint entered her eye. "Hey, Evangeline…"

"_What_, Hakase?" Eva rounded on her. "You have a tone in your voice that I don't like."

"Why don't you be Chachamaru's co-pilot?" Hakase suggested innocently.

"Her _co-pilot?_" Eva repeated. "You must be mad; why would I—?"

"You would be, in essence, a magical battery," the Inquisitor broke in, suddenly understanding. "You would be the reactor! Brilliant, Hakase!"

"Hello!" Eva butted in, "Just one thing. Well, aside from the fact that this is the most asinine plan ever and I'm not going along with it: THE DAMNED MAGICAL WARDS KEEP ME UN-POWERED AND DISENFRANCHISED! I. CAN'T. HELP YOU!"

The Inquisitor spun, caught Eva by the throat, and held her in the air.

"Unhappily for you," growled the Inquisitor, "I not only have the power to flay you where you stand, I also have the power to command the Dean to drop the wards tonight. If Candelios is going to do something of the magnitude that I suspect, the wards will **not** hold, _regardless of how much you want to stay un-powered and disenfranchised_."

The Inquisitor drew Eva closer, bringing them face-to-face. "What say you?" the Inquisitor asked. "Would you like to feel your powers again, if only for one night? Would you like to destroy the foe that has, as you said, so upset the balance of your otherwise-miserable life? Would you just like to destroy a foe, and feel your strength return?"

Eva struggled in the Inquisitor's iron-fisted grasp. "F-Fine," she choked out, "Now unhand me, wench!"

The Inquisitor plunked Eva down on the ground; the diminutive blonde gasped for air, happy for once to be alive.

"Be glad that you are more witch that demon," warned the Inquisitor, "and that I am Malleus and not Hereticus. I haven't the time to waste on your tantrums. I will inform the Dean to drop the wards just after 6p.m.; surely Candelios will think it to his advantage." She turned away.

"Yes, O Great Inquisitor," Eva drawl with pure disdain, "_if_, of course, you don't mind opening _all of Mahora_ to demons. I trust that is to your liking?"

The Inquisitor spun around again, and this time, unmitigated fury burned in her eyes. A psychic halo played around her entire body, and sparks spat from her blood-red nails.

"Oh… I think made you mad," Evangeline smirked. "WELL? Are you going to sacrifice this school?" she yelled. "Is that the just reward for aiding the Inquisitor? Is that fealty to the God-Emperor? Small wonder there's Chaos."

The Inquisitor drew back a hand—

—and Chachamaru was there, trailing diagnostic wires, grasping the Inquisitor's wrist, smoke coiling as her synthi-skin boiled away.

"You will not harm Master," the robot informed the Inquisitor.

"Un. Hand. Me," the Inquisitor growled through clenched teach.

"Lower your hand, or face me," Chachamaru replied.

The lightning crackled and faded, and the Inquisitor slowly lowered her hand.

"Good to know that _your_ temper is well in check," Evangeline remarked acidly. "I don't know if I'd want to be your ally; certainly not your enemy."

"Then don't tempt me," warned the Inquisitor. "Technically, you're the type I'm supposed to prosecute."

"Technically," Evangeline replied softly, "you're me."

The Inquisitor said nothing. Then—

"Hakase?" she queried in an overly-pleasant tone.

"Yes?" Hakase responded warily.

"Repair Chachamaru's hand, run basic system diagnostics, then hook her up again. In the meantime, let the system analyse my armour, then get a few hours' rest. We'll start again once we're refreshed… and tempers cooled. I take my leave."

She strode to the door, grabbed up her cloak, and whipped it around herself, disappearing as she did so.

"Crazy bitch…" Eva muttered. "I hope they're paying you extra for this, Hakase."

"Me, too…" Hakase nodded wearily.

* * *

_Ding, dong, ding, dong…_ rang the bells of Mahora, signalling the start of classes for the day. Of course, this was summer break, so they didn't really have classes, but Negi was putting on supplementary lessons to help keep the students from getting bored over the late August stretch as well as help them with their homework. He took attendance, noting with dismay that Setsuna and Mana were absent, as well as Evangeline and Chachamaru (which was common), as well as Hakase (which was less so).

"Um, does anyone know where Hakase-san is?" he asked.

"Probably over at the University," replied Asakura offhandedly, polishing her camera's lens. "I hear that they've got some cool new stuff coming out in the fall semester. They must be working overtime. I can't wait to interview them! I sense a _big_ scoop!"

"Ah…" Negi wondered to himself it that was true; Hakase was known for staying up late and skipping other activities to work at the University's Robotics Club. "Well, all right. Now, let's begin with our review of the subjunctive versus the conditional. If you'll turn to Page One-Hundred of your texts…"

* * *

_The damned Inquisitor… What is she up to?_ wondered Candelios. He paced back and forth in the caverns beneath the World Tree, staring up into the tangle of roots. Lights and shapes beyond the comprehension of mere mortals floated and shimmered in the air, casting strange shadows on the walls. _I know that she comes and goes, meeting with those foolish humans and mages, but to what end? She cannot know what I am planning…_

He smiled to himself. _Well, the time will soon come. Fate has woven itself to my will, and this wretched tree will wither and die, and with it, the magic. Strange, that I should use magic to destroy magic; yet another paradox for the Worthy of Tzeentch to unravel._

Candelios closed his eyes. Purple flame crept around his feet, spreading out towards the walls. It also began to climb his legs, up his torso, and thence to the tips of his fingers.

"_Soon," he rumbled, "Soon…"_

* * *

Mana's eyes flew open. She was alone in her worship room. Beads of sweat trickled down her temples.

_Something stirs…_ she thought. She glanced at the clock; it was now 2p.m. She had been meditating for two hours now, ever since completing her ritual cleansing. She was clothed in only a light shift, but she was unbearably sweaty.

Rising unsteadily, she exited the room and made her way to the small kitchen. She took a glass from the cupboard, opened the fridge and freezer, and soon had a glass of ice-water in her hand. She pressed it to her temple, feeling the chill spread.

_This heat can't be natural,_ she thought. _It's _too_ hot._

_"Mana," came a voice. "It is I, Evangeline. I have spoken with the Dean within the hour. He has agreed to drop the wards during your duel."_

"What?" replied Mana, shocked. "You can't be serious."

_"Deadly serious," replied the Inquisitor, though she remained unseen. "Think about this: Candelios will undoubtedly open a link to the Warp, and daemons will pour forth. A Warp-portal will flood the campus with the Immaterium; the wards would fail regardless. Besides, we might tempt Candelios to move too quickly if we do it ourselves. He might not suspect it to be our doing, but rather his; let him think that. If we slam the door shut in his face, it will bruise his nose; if we slam it shut behind him, he will be trapped, cut off. Either way, it works to our advantage. _

_"Besides," she added, "you are the one who must maintain them. I don't think that your power could withstand Candelios, let alone the Warp. It will give you one less thing to worry about. Remember, we're counting on you."_

"All right," Mana relented, "but I can't take the time to lower them."

_"Already taken care of," the Inquisitor said soothingly. "There is one thing that you must do for me, though."_

"My payment just got larger," Mana drawled.

_"You must provide me with as many ofuda as you can."_

"Ofuda?" replied Mana, puzzled. "Why do you want those?"

_"Ofuda, omamori, I need as many talismans as I can get my hands on," the Inquisitor answered testily. "As you know, we're working on Chachamaru. I need to protect her from Candelios, and only such talismans will suffice."_

"Very well," Mana agreed. "I don't think that much more meditation will help. I will spend my remaining time consecrating the talismans you desire."

_"I thank you," replied the Inquisitor. "Now, I must go. I dare not stray too far from Hakase's laboratory, nor should I stay in the open. I may be cloaked, and my Sanctuary hides me, but Candelios will probably know my whereabouts ere long. I bid you luck."_

"A moment, Inquisitor," Mana called, "I have a request of you."

A pause, then the air shimmered, and Inquisitor Evangeline appeared within the kitchen, wrapped only in her cloak. She glanced around. "Well?"

"You are a Daemonhunter, yes?" Mana asked.

"I am," the Inquisitor affirmed, "what of it?"

"Surely you have litanies to banish the daemon," Mana observed.

"That is correct," Evangeline replied, a touch impatient. "So?"

"Would you teach me one?" Mana fingered the Inquisitorial seal, hidden next to her skin. "If you would but teach me a single daemon-banishing prayer, I would feel fully armed against our foe. I know little about Candelios, or any daemon of the Warp, but I would that you could arm my soul against them."

Evangeline bowed her head in acceptance. "Very well. I will teach you a prayer. It might not suffice, but then, our best weapon and defence is faith."

She came close and whispered a verse in Mana's ear, then pulled away.

"Ready yourself, Mana," Evangeline warned, crossing her hands over her breast in the sign of the Aquila. "The Emperor Protects."

"The Emperor Protects," responded Mana. Evangeline flickered and vanished.

* * *

Inquisitor Evangeline returned to Hakase's lab, where she found the Professor curled up at her workstation. Printouts piled up around her, showing many figures and data-sets: percentages, stress-tolerance levels, power-output parameters. Evangeline turned to examine her Terminator armour. Hakase had been relatively gentle with it: nary a burn mark or smudge on it. She had even been considerate enough to buff the spot where tiny Eva had nailed it with that piece of scrap in a fit of anger. Considering that the Inquisitor had seen almost no combat since arriving in Mahora (the fights with Setsuna and Fur'mex notwithstanding), it was unsurprising that her armour was almost flawless.

She then turned to Chachamaru. The gynoid was suspended, almost crucified, by a set of four manacled braces that stretched her limbs in an X inside a large metal ring. The ring, the Inquisitor knew, was a scanner much like an MRI, though it performed X-rays and other similar functions.

Behind Chachamaru stood the skeleton of the Dreadnought armour. It looked about three-quarters finished; its weapons hung on lifts to either side.

"Zuu…" Hakase snorted awake. "Inquisitor…?" she rubbed her eyes sleepily.

"It looks like the Dreadnought is almost done," commented the Inquisitor.

Hakase yawned. "Um, yeah… I think it's about… yeah, 70% ready."

"Will you be ready in time?" the Inquisitor fretted.

"Well, the saying goes, 'The first 90% of the work takes 90% of the time, and the last 10% takes the other 90%'," Hakase quipped.

"That is _not_ encouraging," replied the Inquisitor testily.

"Cheer up," came a dulcet voice. "At least the damn suit's built."

Little Eva sauntered in, admiring Chachamaru's stretched form. "Naughty, naughty, Hakase," Eva chortled. "You've got Chachamaru in rather a compromising position, there."

Chachamaru's eyes flicked open. "Master, do you disapprove of my positioning?"

"Shut up, baka robot," Evangeline laughed.

Chachamaru blinked, apparently at a loss. "Master, I detect no censure in your voice. Are you making a joke at my expense?"

"Damn right, Chachamaru," Eva continued to chuckle. Chachamaru merely bowed her head, muttering, "As you wish, Master."

"I think, Inquisitor," Hakase said, while looking over some of her printouts, "that with your help, we can get the last of the systems fully integrated in about two hours. Then, we have an hour to test it and check for bugs, and another half-hour of leeway before the duel starts. It's going to be tight…"

"Well, then, let's get to it. Evangeline, get into the cockpit with Chachamaru," the Inquisitor instructed.

"Yes, O Mighty One," Eva drawled. She changed her school uniform into her "vamp" attire with a flick of her wrist: a black leather one-piece bustier with sheer skirt and long gloves. She inspected herself.

"Pity that I won't be going 'boingy-boingy'," she lamented, looking down at her flat chest.

"Your glamour requires too much magical power; it isn't worth it. Well, at least you aren't fat," commented the Inquisitor.

"Bitch, I will kill you!" Eva spat back.

"Bring it," replied the Inquisitor coolly.

"Maybe later," Eva huffed, then smiled. "Oh, Chacha…" Evangeline said in a sing-song voice, "let's get cozy in the cockpit, all right?"

"As you wish, Master," replied Chachamaru.

Eva stamped her foot. "Oh, dammit, Chachamaru, you could act a little more excited about it!"

"Wai, wai…" Chachamaru exclaimed, with absolutely no inflection.

"Geez… Baka robot," Eva lamented.

"Maybe you'd prefer the bōya—?"

"SHUT UP, INQUISITOR, OR I'LL REND YOU LIMB FROM LIMB!"

* * *

_The time approached rapidly, a convergence of fates so strong that even those senseless mundanes could feel _something _tugging at the strings that bound them to their destiny. All over campus, people commented that, even for late August, it was unusually hot, sticky, _heavy_. It was as if a great weight had settled on Mahora Academy, and nothing could lift it._

_Candelios smiled, sinister. He had encased himself in his magic web, ready to take in the magic he had cast weeks before. He had to scatter much of his essence to the Warp when he had arrived, and much more was hidden within Mahora, so that the wards would not stop him. At least, not until the time came, and by then, it would be too late._

_He began to chant, invoking his terrible god, imploring him to watch and see what Candelios, Daemon Prince and Worthy of the Thousand Sons, would do for his patron…_

* * *

Negi sat back in his chair and pushed his paperwork away. He was trying to write some notes about the girls' progress in their supplementary classes, but he couldn't focus. _Something is wrong_, he thought_, something is definitely wrong, but what could it be?_

"Yo, Negster!" came a voice. Chamo scampered up to the desk-top and looked up at Negi.

"Chamo-kun," Negi replied wearily, "I haven't seen much of you lately."

"Ah, well, I've been hidin' from the Inquisitor, so—"

"_Bōya."_

"EEEP!" Chamo screeched and fell off the desk into the waste-paper basket.

"_Ah, Chamo, you wretch, I've found you at last. It is time that you perform the task I asked of you."_

"Ah, oh?" Chamo replied, cowering under a discarded memo.

"_THE TRACERY, VERMIN!"_ thundered the Inquisitor's voice.

"O-Oh! THAT! Right, um—"

The Inquisitor appeared behind Negi, who whirled around in fright.

"Get your sorry pet and come here," she snapped. Negi snatched Chamo up, who protested loudly, stuffed him in his jacket pocket, and scurried to the Inquisitor's side. She reached out, took his arm, and spoke a word. The space around them distorted, and a moment later, they appeared in Negi's dormitory.

"Nothing like a bath in the—HOLY SHI—" Asuna fell back on her butt as she exited the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her body and another in her hair. "—TCHA! Where did you come from?"

"Silence, Red," the Inquisitor snapped. "Chamo, on the table."

Chamo dropped from Negi's hand and scurried to do as he was bidden.

"Now, Chamo, the Tracery," the Inquisitor demanded.

"Yes, ma'am," Chamo replied resignedly. "If you'll gimme just a second, I'll be right on it…"

Chamo closed his eyes, breathing deeply. Evangeline watched, frowning.

"Um, Master?" Negi tried tentatively, "Maybe we should just back up a little and give him some room…"

"Fine," the Inquisitor agreed. She stood, then glanced at Asuna, who was still in the bathroom doorway. "Red, I suggest you put some clothes on," the Inquisitor stated, noting that Asuna's towel had started to unwrap and was hiked up to her knees. "At least put some panties on, or you'll be flashing anyone who walks in the—"

"Asuna!" came Konoka's voice from outside. The handle turned, and Konoka walked in, groceries in one hand. "Who's—" She stopped dead as she took in the scene. "—here," she finished in disbelief. "Asuna, would you put some clothes on?" she rebuked, "it's rude to be wearing nothing when we have guests."

Asuna bolted to her feet and slammed the bathroom door. Something that sounded suspiciously like "DAMNED INQUISITOR! DAMNED VERMIN ERMINE! STUPID NEGI!" screeched from the bathing area.

"Great," Chamo muttered. "You expect me to work after seeing _that_?"

"If you don't, I will skin you alive and make you into a hat!" the Inquisitor spat venomously.

"WORKING NOW!" Chamo cried. He began to chant under his breath.

"Spirits of Light, find that which I seek, the ribbon that wraps, the tie that binds, the cord that connects…"

As Chamo chanted, small, thin lines appeared in the air. They were of many and varied colours, each denoting a specific path of destiny. Red strands projected from Negi and Konoka's fingers, wavering in and out of existence. Konoka's was incredibly strong, and fluttered down the hallway. Negi's was fainter, and had no true direction.

_The Red String,_ the Inquisitor mused. _Happily, they are intact; that at least means that their owners' destinies have not yet been severed. A good omen._ She considered her hands; no such Red String showed. _Pity, that I never had a true love_, she thought. _Alactus might have been the closest…_

"Um, 'Quiz?" Chamo asked, "What I be lookin' for?"

"A less gangster accent, for one," the Inquisitor responded, annoyed. "Find out where the strings of fate converge, but DO NOT tug on them too strongly. Just give me a sense of what they are doing. Don't explode your tiny brain while you're at it," she added, "I'd hate to think that your nickname would change to 'Daemon Ermine', were you to become possessed. Come to think of it, you might get along with Fur'mex…"

Chamo nodded minutely and concentrated. "Hmm… They're all fluttering and getting tangled," he announced. "It's like they're kites, and the wind is blowing them into each other, and you can't tell the individual lines apart from each other."

"That's enough," the Inquisitor instructed. Chamo withdrew the magic, and the lines disappeared. "Hmm… So this is a nexus of fate, and we are caught in the web," the Inquisitor reflected.

"Um, Master?" Negi piped up. "What's… What's going to happen? Something's wrong, I can feel it. I'm worried about Setsuna-san and Mana-san; they're going to duel, and something happens while they're—"

"Don't you worry your pretty little head over it, bōya," the Inquisitor cut him off. "I already heard about the duel; just let Setsuna-kun and Mana-kun sort their issues out. You just worry about keeping your students away from the duel. Of course, I know that you'll want to watch, so I'm not even going to try to stop you. Keep your little peanut gallery to a minimum, and if things begin to go awry, run the hell away!"

"I am a hundred percent with ya there, 'Quiz!" Chamo affirmed.

"Well, I'm glad that we can count on the Mice to scurry away," the Inquisitor snorted, "Now, all we need is the Cavalry…" She sighed. "We'll just have to let the duellists work things out, and hope the Enemy does not catch us unawares. I'm working to make sure that he does not. I must take my leave." She again spoke a word, and vanished.

"That chick knows more than she's tellin' us," Chamo muttered to himself.

* * *

_The appointed hour drew close. Each party, though they knew it not themselves, worked feverishly to ready themselves for the part that they would play in the dance of destiny. The hours ticked by…_

* * *

"Finished!" Hakase announced wearily, dropping to the floor.

The Inquisitor stood tall, pleased. Chachamaru was fully encased in the Dreadnought armour, which was online and functioning. Of course, they did not have it at full war-readiness, but rather were prepared to move out soon.

The Inquisitor surveyed the machine approvingly. The right arm weapon was a twin-linked lascannon. One of the most powerful man-portable heavy weapons in the Imperial arsenal, it has a Strength rating of 9, just slightly less powerful than a battle cannon. It also had an Armour Piercing rating of 2, meaning that no known armour could withstand it. The downside was that it was slow to fire, but its impressive range and power made up for that admirably. It was also twin-linked, meaning effectively that two shots would strike the target instead of one, ensuring maximum destruction.

With a pair of self-contained heavy-duty lithium-platinum power cells, the weapon had a ten-shot capacity. The Inquisitor knew that every shot would count, but it would not draw from the crucial main power; the only thing it needed was onboard targeting and cooling systems.

The left arm was a Dreadnought power fist. Surrounded by a crackling energy field, its destructive power in close combat was comparable to the ranged firepower of the lascannon, and it, too, ignored all conventional armour. The weapon's four articulated fingers meant that it could grasp enemies and obstructions, flinging them away with the Dreadnought's incredible strength or crushing them to dust.

The power fist also had a built-in Incinerator. A favoured weapon of the Grey Knights, it was a heavy flamethrower that had one chemical container in the palm of the fist and another slung beneath. The two would mix and ignite on contact with the air, dousing the area with holy flame. Though this model was short-ranged and lacked the usual armour penetration of other flamer models, the Inquisitor was still pleased. With S5, AP-, it could hold its own against the lesser daemons, its holy promethium rendering their Warp-spawned power meaningless. It had 10s of fuel for a full burst and a 5s reserve.

The Inquisitor stared at the large monitor that showed the various systems, all in the green. She touched the screen and called up the main armament readings. The lascannon showed both power coils in the green, cycling idly and ready to fire, with a stack of ten bars next to each—four green, four yellow, and two red, delineated with two further green bars to either side of the stacks—indicating the number of shots remaining. The Incinerator was also standing by, fuel canisters full, its pilot light flickering.

"Hakase, are the life-support systems—"

"Yes, Inquisitor," Hakase cut her off, rising and dusting herself off. "They're all green."

"What of the back-up for the lascannon?" the Inquisitor asked.

"If one of the main power cells fails, remaining power will divert to the working one," Hakase replied. "Better to have one fully-powered weapon than two that aren't."

"Yes, quite," the Inquisitor agreed.

"Can we come _out_ now?" came Eva's irritated voice through the vox, plaintive despite the metallic ring to it.

"Eva, we have less than an hour before our foe shows himself!" snapped the Inquisitor. "We still have to do final system checks and make this think war-ready! No you may not leave! You might not leave for a few days, so I hope you used the toilet!"

The only response was for the Dreadnought's power claw to twitch menacingly.

"Be sure to lock out control of the Dreadnought unless Chachamaru goes offline," whispered the Inquisitor to Hakase, who nodded.

"Inquisitor?" came Mana's voice from the doorway. The mercenary stepped inside, swathed in a voluminous tan-coloured cloak and hood.

"Hahaha, you look like me," the Inquisitor chuckled.

"I'm sure she's the better-looking one," grumbled Eva.

The Inquisitor repressed the urge to kick the Dreadnought; she knew that its armour plating was stronger than her foot. Pity she didn't know Hammerhand; she could rip the adamite shell apart with her bare hands.

"I bring you the talismans, as you requested." Mana drew a box no longer than her forearm from within the folds of her cloak and presented it to the Inquisitor. She opened the lid: five omamori and ten ofuda were stacked neatly inside.

"This is good." The Inquisitor nodded her thanks. "With these, at least we have the illusion of protection from spiritual harm."

She tapped on the cockpit, and it opened in response. Inside, Chachamaru sat to the fore, integrated with the Dreadnought's systems, while Eva sat cramped to the aft. A psychic-tuned circlet connected her to the Dreadnought's power core, fuelling it with magic.

The Inquisitor hung the omamori inside the cockpit, whispering litanies of protection and asking the machine spirit for its assistance.

"I consecrated the ones I thought would help: clarity of mind, will to persevere, protection against mischance," Mana explained. "The ofuda are prayers to the gods of war, the Buddha, Amaterasu-megami-sama…"

"You did well, Mana," the Inquisitor replied, beginning to affix the seals to the Dreadnought's armour. "They may well burn when struck with hellfire, but if the gods are smiling on us, it will be worth it to have their protection."

"Well, I must be off," Mana said. "The duel is soon, and if you are right in your guess, Inquisitor, our enemy will strike. The wards will fall as planned?"

"Yes," the Inquisitor confirmed. "As soon as I sense them crumble, or anything else out of the ordinary, I will signal the Dean. He and his people will see to the wards. You see to keeping the Negi Brigade—and yourself—safe from harm." She sighed. "What I would not give for an Astartes Chaplain right now: Swinging his Crozius, chanting the Litanies of Battle… Well, we have you, Mana, so I guess we're all right." The Inquisitor smiled with genuine warmth; Mana returned it with a small smile of her own. "Go now; the Emperor Protects."

"The Emperor Protects," replied Mana.

* * *

_The time had come; the combatants made their way to the appointed place, at the appointed hour. Setsuna Sakurazaki, accompanied by her second, Kaede Nagase, and the arbiter, Kū Fei. Mana Tatsumiya, alone save for the secret knowledge gifted to her by the Inquisitor. They approached the place where, soon, their sacred duel might be defiled by evil._

_Negi and his friends followed Setsuna's party at a distance. Negi wondered what the Inquisitor might be up to; she seemed to know something about what was going on, but would not intervene with the duel._

_Chamo also suspected the Inquisitor. He switched to his second sight, and saw that the strands of fate converged around them thickly. He quickly shut them out; it would not do, as the Inquisitor had said, to become possessed or have his head explode. He could only watch his aniki's back._

* * *

Mana and Setsuna came face-to-face in the middle of the south-west plaza. The sun was away towards the west, and it cast still-bright light over their battleground. Kaede and Kū Fei flanked Setsuna to the left and right.

"So, Setsuna, are you ready?" Mana asked. She pulled off her cloak, revealing tan-coloured shorts and a sports top, wrapped around by her pistol holsters and ammo belts. She shook out her long hair and stooped down, flicking a gloved hand against her high brown boots to ensure that they were laced up.

Setsuna stepped forward. She was dressed in the traditional garb of the bird tribe: dark blue, puffy trousers, and a white top, open at the sides and back and slung in two pieces across her front. In her left hand she held Yūnagi. She drew the blade and slung the sheath over her left shoulder, nestling it between her shoulder blades.

"Okay, so rules for fight!" Kū Fei announced, walking out between the two combatants. "Mana and Setsuna, one on one fight. You no use killing blows, just like Budōkai! That mean no bullets, Mana, and no sharp sword, Setsuna; you use rubber bullets and back of blade, or fists and feet!"

Mana and Setsuna nodded their compliance.

"Duel run until one person give up, is knocked out, or can't stand after count of ten," continued Kū Fei. "Setsuna, you have Kaede as second, so she stop fight if you can't."

Kaede nodded as well, and retreated to the edge of the plaza.

"Bow to opponent!" Kū commanded. Mana and Setsuna faced each other and bowed slowly, each keeping their eyes raised off the ground.

"Right…" Kū stepped back. "I count! Three… two… one… Begin—!"

Setsuna and Mana flew at each other, Setsuna with her blade angled to the left, ready to strike a lateral blow that would knock Mana unconscious. Mana rolled beneath the blow, fairly flying over the ground behind Setsuna. She drew her pistol and fired in one motion; Setsuna used the momentum of her strike to spin, and deflected the shot with a hard lateral swing. The motion brought her sword to a ready position above her right shoulder, and she charged again.

Mana leapt high into the trees, and Setsuna kicked off, following. Mana knocked a branch off, grabbed the next one, swung beneath it, and rocketed back at Setsuna. They fought in midair, exchanging no more than three strikes, and fell away. Mana landed easily and rolled, now with a tapered stick about the length of her arm. Setsuna impacted the tree-trunk with her feet, bent her knees, twisted 180o, and sprung forward, blade raised high.

(ruler)

"C'mon, Setchan!" Konoka muttered from her perch. The Negi-gumi—including Negi, Asuna, Konoka, and the Library Trio—watched in amazement as Setuna and Mana broke apart after their midair collision.

"How can humans move so fast…?" Yue muttered, sucking on a Raspbery-Pecan juicebox. "It's _inconceivable!_"

"You keep using that word," Haruna pointed out. "I don't think it means—"

"Look out!" Asuna cried, grabbing Negi and Konoka and forcing them to the dirt. The Library Three followed suit as Setsuna and Mana flew overhead. The report of Mana's pistol was followed by the metallic _ping!_ of a hard-swung deflection by Setsuna's blade.

"Hey! Come back to arena!" yelled Kū Fei as she ran after them.

"Nin-nin!" agreed Kaede, flying past them.

"Come on, let's follow 'em!" Asuna yelled. She sprung up and sprinted off after the duellists; the Negi-gumi scrambled after them.

* * *

"Hahahahahahaha!" Candelios roared with pleasure. The idiot humans were going to appear right on top of him; he could blast their souls into oblivion at a stroke, and then no one could possibly stand against him.

"_Little one," he reached out with his mind, "come to me…"_

* * *

"Makie!" Ako called, "It's time for you to eat dinner!" She knocked on the bathroom door; nothing.

"Makie, I know you've been feeling sick, but you have to eat something," Ako said fretfully to the door.

Makie had been bedridden for days, and no one could get her out of her stupor. The school nurse had visited yesterday, but had only proposed that she be kept abed until something changed.

Ako had cooked up a simple soup for Makie, hoping that she might be able to hold it down.

"Okay, Makie, I'm coming in," Ako said resignedly. She pushed open the door—

—and Makie was not there.

"M-Makie…? Makie!" Ako called, worried. Ako had left the room to consult with Ayaka about Makie's condition; Ayaka had become worried as well. Had Makie left the toilet while Ako had been out?

Then Ako noticed the ribbon trailing from the windowsill. "Makie… went out the window…" Ako gasped in disbelief. "IINCHŌ!" she yelled, running out the door.

* * *

"Iinchō! Iinchō!" Ako yelled, running down the hall at full tilt, stumbling in her haste. She pounded on Ayaka's door; Kotarō answered.

"Hmm? Ako-nēchan—Whoa!" he cried as she bowled him over in her haste.

"Kotarō-kun… where is Ayaka-san…?" Ako panted, beginning to hyperventilate in her panic.

"Easy, easy—!" he said soothingly, hugging her gently. In truth, he was a little worried about her and a little reluctant to hug a girl, but she looked like she needed it.

"Kotarō, what is—Ako-san!" Ayaka exclaimed, coming out of the bathroom and hurrying over to her distraught classmate. "Whatever is the matter?"

"Makie… is gone!" she gasped out.

"Makie-san has disappeared?" Ayaka queried.

"_Yes!_" Ako gulped in air. "She was in the bathroom… and she… I think she went out the window!"

"What?" Ayaka frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Her ribbon… is trailing out the window," Ako affirmed. "I'm sure."

"Is something the matter in here?" came a man's voice. They turned and looked to the doorway; Takahata-sensei was standing there, an unlit cigarette trailing from the corner of his mouth.

"Takahata-sensei, it seems that Makie-san has wandered off in her delirium," Ayaka informed him. "Ako-san found that she had disappeared from the toilet just moments ago."

"That's not good," muttered Takahata. "Ayaka-kun, you are to inform the girls of 3A who are here in the dormitories that they are _not_ to leave their rooms, understand?"

"Yes, sir," replied Ayaka, mystified, "but why—?"

"We have a security threat on campus," replied Takahata. "You are to take attendance and then ensure that 3A remains in the dorm. If any girls are not present but return soon, you will tell them the same thing. If any of the girls are unaccounted for, inform me or the Dean immediately."

"Yes, sir!" Ayaka snapped to. "And… what of Negi-sensei?"

"I was just going to find him," replied Takahata. "I believe he is with some of the girls from 3A. Get to it, Ayaka-kun." He quickly strode down the hall to the stairs.

"My goodness…" Ayaka breathed. "This sounds like trouble. Kotarō-kun, help Ako-san to the couch, and I'll make some tea…"

* * *

Setsuna panted, half-sitting. Mana stood over her, a pistol pointed straight at her throat, another held loosely in the other hand. Off to one side, Kaede and Kū Fei watched, anxiously awaiting the outcome of the standoff.

"Yield," said Mana sternly.

"Not on your life," Setsuna growled.

"Maybe not on my life, but on yours," Mana replied. "Think about this: I have you covered. You can't move faster than me, let alone a bullet. If I was using real ones, I could kill you with one well-placed shot _right now_. If you proceed to do something stupid, you will likely suffer a serious injury. Yield, and you will save yourself an injury."

"My pride—"

Mana stepped forward. "Your pride is already in tatters. You have much to explain and much to own up to. However, yield now, admit defeat, admit that you were _wrong_, and it will be much better for you."

"…TO HELL WITH THAT!" Setsuna snapped. She crossed her arms, then swung them wide open. Her wings burst out, pushing Mana back a few steps with their force. Setsuna cried like a bird and was lifted to her feet.

"Whoa, wings!" Haruna breathed. "Where's my sketchbook…?"

The Negi-gumi were crouched on the upper deck of the southern plaza. The duel had raged for several minutes, with neither side appearing to gain the upper hand, though Mana seemed to have the advantage; armed as she was with pistols, she could attack from a distance. However, a misstep by Setsuna, slipping on a rock, allowed Mana to club Setsuna with the butt of her pistol then throw her, where she landed hard against the wall, thus leading to the standoff.

"Look!" Asuna pointed at the wings. "Something's wrong!"

A purple glow began to run along Setsuna's otherwise angelic wings. It looked like someone had spilt ink on them, for the purple began to run and seep into the wings, staining them black. A similar stain began to run up Yūnagi's whitewood hilt.

"I will not yield to you, Mana Tatsumiya!" Setsuna intoned. "I will not _yield!_ KYAA!"

Setsuna flew at Mana, enraged. She slashed with her blade, uncaring as to which side she used. "_Zantetsusen!_" A spiral flare of ki shot out at Mana, who dodged frantically to one side.

_(Beneath the earth, Candelios stirred. Soon, he thought…)_

_(Farther away, Setsuna's pactio card began to glow. Evangeline withdrew the box and stared at it, frowning. She turned and spoke to Hakase. Hakase typed a command in her console, and a sphere rose out of the lab floor, opening up. Evangeline stored the box in the sphere, which closed and hummed to life. Shielded from outside influence, Setsuna's pactio card would probably not affect them now. However, from the psychic activity she sensed, she knew that it was time. She gave the word, and the Dreadnought stirred to life…)_

"_Jakuzankūsen!_" Setsuna cried. A blast of air knocked Mana flying backwards, and Setsuna followed up. "_Hyakkaryōran!_" she shouted; a wave of _ki_, shaped like cherry blossom petals, shot out and engulfed Mana.

"That it?" Kū wondered aloud, then—to her astonishment—Mana flew out of the cloud, face set in the most terrifyingly angry expression that anyone had ever seen.

"Mahora Ultimate Brawl: Miko versus Tengu!" Haruna squealed, feverishly sketching on her pad, "Holy cow, this is awesome!"

Mana began rapid firing at Setsuna, shots coming faster than any human should be able to pull off.

"_Fūjinranbu!_"" cried Setsuna. She flipped her sword out of her hand and let loose with a scattering of ki bullets. Mana and Setsuna's attacks collided in midair, popping like miniature fireworks.

Mana was nearly upon Setsuna, her eyes flaming, both pistols rising—

"_Ourōgekka!_" Setsuna yelled. She palmed Mana's stomach and blasted her with a ki strike, blowing her to the ground. Setsuna deftly caught her sword, flipped through the air, and landed to straddle Mana, sword at her opponent's throat.

"_Yield_," Setsuna hissed with malicious delight.

"_Hold, sword-demon,_" came a young girl's voice.

Setsuna blinked and turned slightly, seeking the source.

"Makie-san!" Setsuna exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

It was indeed Makie, though what she might have been doing at the site of the duel—

"_My Master's work,_" came the reply.

"What's with Makie?" wondered Asuna. "Something's weird…"

"Baka Pink, we busy!" yelled Kū Fei. "You go play somewhere else!"

"_Be quiet,_" snapped Makie, "_or would you like me to come over there and silence you myself?_"

"Is strange, Makie-chan," Kū Fei muttered to Kaede.

"Makie-dono is not herself!" whispered Kaede back to her. "Kū Fei-dono, we must stop the match immediately. I will see to Setsuna-dono; you help Mana-dono."

"Aiya! What you—?" Kū began, but Kaede had flash-stepped to Setsuna's side. "Is fast as ever, Kaede," said Kū, shaking her head.

"Setsuna-dono, cease your battle. Something is wrong with Makie-dono," Kaede implored.

"Quiet, Kaede!" Setsuna snapped. "I've won. Admit defeat, Mana."

Mana ignored Setsuna, watching with something like fear as Makie raised her hand. She aimed her pistol—

_Clatter!_ Setsuna brought the pommel of her sword down hard on Mana's gun; it skittered away across the cobbles. "What are you doing?" Setsuna demanded. "Raising your gun on Makie; _I_ am your opponent!"

"Idiot!" Mana snarled, eyes snapping wide open as Makie began to lift off the ground. "LOOK AT MAKIE, MORON, AND TELL ME THAT ISN'T NATURAL!"

"What the—HOLY—!" Setsuna spun around, feeling a malicious force rising all around them.

A purple bolt spat out from Makie's fingers directly at them. Mana clenched her fist; a white beam erupted from her finger, shredding her glove and smashing the magic bolt aside.

"_Mana_," Setsuna hissed, "_you had better explain this!_"

Mana rolled over backwards and grabbed her other pistol, tearing off the remnants of her glove. "Show yourself, Candelios, Daemon Prince!" yelled Mana. "In the name of the Holy Inquisition!" Mana reached into her top and pulled out the Inquisitorial seal where she brandished it before her.

"_So, you know,_" came Makie's voice—and yet it was not hers, but horribly warped, as though some dark and malicious thing was using her as its instrument. "_I will not keep you waiting, then._"

Unholy light began to pour up from the ground, and psychically-charged lighting flared up to strike the clouds. The sky flickered, and an aurora played around the grounds of the Academy; a flash, and it was as though a shell had been broken and scattered around them.

Konoka screamed. "Noooo! Make it stop!" She clutched her head, burning with pain. The Library Trio also clutched their heads, though they only moaned.

"Konoka!" Asuna grabbed her friend's wrist; Konoka immediately stopped screaming, but continued to whimper.

"Bro, it's the gal's Magic Cancel!" Chamo exclaimed. "Everyone, grab hold of Asuna-nē-san!"

Negi and the girls did as they were bidden. Makie glanced towards them, amused. "_Hahahaha, so you brought friends. They will be delicious appetizers for my servants. And many shall they be,_" she added, "_for your pathetic wards have fallen, and I have not even begun to marshal my full strength. This will be far too easy…_"

"I stand within the shadow of the Golden Throne, and I shall not be afraid. Yea, for mine Emperor is with me!" A crackling golden dome encased Makie, who writhed in pain. For a moment, magic power surged around the dome; then, suddenly, it ceased, and Makie fell limp, wafting down to the ground, into the suddenly-materialized arms of Inquisitor Evangeline.

"_Bitch!_" roared a voice, "_You have taken my vessel away from me! I will kill you for that alone!_"

Out of the ground rose a horrific sight. A giant, fifteen feet tall, encased in gold-trimmed black armour. Huge horns sprouted from his head, and claws from his metal-clad hands, in which he held a keening blade. Huge black wings sprouted from his back.

"Candelios, Daemon Prince of Tzeentch, Worthy of the Thousand Sons: In the name of the Emperor," intoned Evangeline, "I speak His word, and I declare thee Extremis Diablolus! You are thrice damned by action, association, and belief, and I pronounce judgement upon you, Warp-spawn!"

"You will not live to see the next dawn, witch," Candelios rumbled in reply. "I myself will finish what I started all those centuries ago, and this time, I will destroy your most precious thing before you can even begin to truly live."

"What might that be, fiend?" replied Evangeline. "I will protect the children with my life, and serve my Emperor—"

"Ah, but your Corpse-Emperor is not here," laughed Candelios. "Besides, how will you save your Imperium when it never existed, when I destroy this place, and with it, your precious Beacon, your Astronomicon!"

"What… NO!" Evangeline screamed. Candelios' laughter told her everything she needed to know: He had found the Astronomicon, here at Mahora of all places, and his plans were ticking closer to fruition. If he were to destroy it, it would mean the collapse of the Imperium; it would implode, past, present, and future, and then there would only be Chaos…

Candelios' laughter echoed in her mind as Evangeline slumped to the ground, powerless, because she knew that they were damnably outclassed, and that Candelios had won…

* * *

To Be Continued…

* * *

**Notes:**

1) The Astronomicon: The Warp-Beacon powered by the will of the Emperor from his Golden Throne. A thousand psykers are needed to supply the psychic force necessary to run it. It acts like a lighthouse, projected from Holy Terra out into the Warp, where Navigators can lock on to its signal and orient themselves. With its destruction, Warp (FTL) travel would be nigh impossible; the Imperium could do nothing and go nowhere, and would surely collapse.

2) More of Setsuna's techniques:

-sen [閃]: "Flash Technique"

Ougi [奥義]: "Ultimate Secret Technique"

Hiken [秘剣]: "Hidden Sword Technique"

Zantetsusen (斬鉄閃; "Iron-Cutting Flash"): Releases ki in a spiral fashion to attack the enemy.

Jakuzankūsen (弱斬空閃; "Lesser Air-Cutting Flash"): Hiken, used to blow an object far away.

Hyakkaryōran (百花繚乱; "Many Flowers Blooming in Profusion", Del Rey "Chaos of a Hundred Flowers"): Hiken, fires off ki and petals in a straight line to strike down an enemy.

Fūjinranbu (風塵乱舞; "Chaotic Dance of Wind and Dust"): Hiken, releases multiple projectiles from hand. (-hi [飛]: "Ranged Technique")

Ourōgekka (桜楼月華; "Cherry Blossom Tower, Moon Flower"): A ki-based strike emitted from the palm. (-shou [掌]: "Palm Technique"


	7. Battle In The Deeps—Foundation Shattered

So here we go, with Chapter 7 of "Long Shadows Over Mahora". I hope you enjoy it!

**DISCLAIMER:** Negima and everything that goes along with it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Ken Akamatsu (who made it) and everyone else (who got a slice of the pie). I stand in no way to profit from my work (or his). Though I wish I could.

Likewise, Warhammer 40,000 and everything that goes along with it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Games Workshop, their subsidiaries, and their affiliates. I stand in no way to profit from incorporating their work into my own. Though I hope it will continue to be awesome.

**Chapter Six Recap:** Hakase, the Inquisitor, and Evangeline bitch each other out over the design of the Chacha-Dreadnought, with both Mahora!Eva and Inquisitor!Evangeline coming to blows over it.

Mana wakens from her meditation, bothered by Candelios's stirrings, followed soon after by the Inquisitor contacting the shrine maiden to discuss the upcoming duel.

Soon after, the Inquisitor grabs Negi and Chamo from the school and teleports them back to their dorm-room (embarrassing Asuna, who had been bathing), forcing the ermine fey to perform a Tracery; he locates the strings of fate, converging in a web on Mahora.

Hakase and the Inquisitor (as well as Chachamaru and Eva) finish the Dreadnought ahead of the duel. Mana also brings ofuda/omamori, as requested, and the Inquisitor adds them as protection to the Dreadnought.

Setsuna and Mana duel, as planned; Mana first has the upper hand, and even has Setsuna at her mercy, but Setsuna rallies with Warp-born strength and takes Mana down. Meanwhile, thousands of miles across campus, Makie disappears from her room, having been confined to quarters, ill, for days. Her room-mate Ako freaks out and runs to Ayaka, flustering Kotarō (Ayaka's room-mate) in the process. Takamichi overhears their conversation, and becomes worried.

Candelios interrupts the duel, using Makie as a vessel; the Inquisitor saves the poor girl from possession, but Candelios reveals the scope of his plans: He will destroy the Astronomicon—hidden deep below Mahora—and with it, the foundation of the Imperium!

* * *

**Long Shadows Over Mahora**

* * *

Chapter Seven: Battle in the Depths – A Foundation Shattered

* * *

"_Zanmaken: Ni-no-Tachi – Issen!_"

A wave of ki flew out and smashed into the huge form of Candelios. He grunted, peering down, wisps of steam coming off his armour. Setsuna stood with her blade raised, something black and inky dripping from her wings and blade.

"Ahahahahaha!" he roared with delight, "Is that all you can muster, little Setsuna?"

"Damn your eyes, daemon!" she yelled. "_You_ are behind this, ALL of this! This… This…!" She began to hyperventilate, unable to form the thought in her mind into coherent speech, such was the rage at her sudden realization.

"'All of this?'" Candelios sneered. "All of _what_? Your… misunderstandings with your friends? Your muddled mind? Challenging your master to a duel? Did I cause all of that? HAAAAAAAA!" He threw back his head, his booming mirth shaking the ground, causing the Negi-gumi to drop to their knees. "Do you only now understand what I am capable of? YES!" he roared, "Indeed, I caused your dissention and your disunity! And what of it, little one? You think that, together, you have a chance of defeating me? Is that what you believe? Look upon me!"

He showed off his mighty bulk, encased in gold-chased armour, twisting with arcane patterns. Setsuna swayed. _Yes… He is… too powerful… for us…_

"Your Inquisitor has already—what's the phrase you humans use?—'seen the light'? Yes, look at her."

Setsuna turned to the Inquisitor, who was on her knees, head bent, shaking with horror. Candelios looked down on her, and when he spoke next, his voice held what might have been pity. "Ah. Inquisitor Evangeline, mighty Daemonhunter; the only mortal truly able to defy me and my Master. You know, she would have done better to rise in Tzeentch's service than to meet this ignoble end. Imagine: The Dark Evangel, Magus Nosferatu, EVANGELNE, DAEMON PRINCESS OF CHAOS!"

His words shook them all, physically and emotionally. The watched, horrified, as an image of Evangeline, much like her vamp persona but a thousand times more wicked, surged up around her, engulfing her, burning their eyes.

"You see?" Candelios rumbled. "_This_ is what is hidden in Evangeline's heart: darkness. For it is darkness that rules the hearts of men, and darkness that will consume all! For in the darkness, nothing is fixed, and so Lord Tzeentch will rule—!"

"DO YOU EVER SHUT UP?"

An incandescent ruby beam flared, arcing into Candelios's face. His helmet was blasted apart by the impact. A stomping metal behemoth lumbered into view at the top of the plaza steps.

"I may have my ambitions, but to have to spend an eternity with you would be pure torture," came a distorted female voice over the vox. "No bloody thanks."

"Wh-Wh-What is that?" Asuna cried, staring in horror at the machine.

"WHAT?" the irritated metallic voice rang out, "Is that the thanks I get for breaking that sorcerer's spell and saving your pathetic lives? Damn, but they're ungrateful…"

Candelios's helmeted head reformed on his shoulders. "A Dreadnought? What in the name of all sorcery is a Dreadnought doing here? There should be no Astartes—"

"You forget," came another voice, "I AM HERE!"

Inquisitor Evangeline leapt up in a wreath of psychic flame, Makie cradled under her left arm. "Evangeline!" called the Inquisitor, "You are right that you deserve our thanks; Candelios had us there for a moment. You are wrong, though; I, at least, am grateful."

"…Whatever," came the metallic reply.

Candelios shook with unmitigated fury, his anger overcoming his wounded dignity in a rush. "You have the _gall_ to assault ME?" he shouted. "I AM CANDELIOS, WORTHY OF THE THOUSAND SONS, DAEMON PRINCE—!"

_CRACK!_ A hole the size of a television blew out of Candelios's torso. He looked down, enraged. "WHO DARES?" he bawled, "WHO DARES?"

"Mana-san!" Nodoka cried, pointing. Mana was concealed in a tree in the western corner, an enormous sniper rifle aimed directly at Candelios.

"Nodoka-san… Thanks for giving my position away," she muttered, shaking her head.

Candelios turned to face the new threat. "Oh, I had forgotten about you. Mana Tatsumiya, priestess of the Mahora shrine, now stooping to become the Inquisitor's lackey. Maybe I should kill you first, for your temerity. Though I was planning on reserving that honour for the Inquisitor…"

"Then let me give you a reason to keep it that way!" the Inquisitor shouted. She took the antenna from her backpack and attached it to Makie's back; the gymnast's image wavered and vanished from sight.

"I am the Lightning that cleanses the Impure," Evangeline intoned, clapping her hands together, "I am the Flame that burns away the Darkness. I am the wrath of the God-Emperor, and the Soul of the Deceitful shall smoulder from its Scourging!"

A crackling arc of lightning leapt between Evangeline's raised hands; she flung them wide apart before directing them in Candelios's direction. A blast of light scorched him, and he recoiled.

"Curse you, witch!" he roared. "You and all your ilk! Come, servants of the Change God!" he called, "Devour the false servants of the Corpse-Emperor, and make them the same, like unto like, dead flesh and dead souls!"

An ungodly howling rose up all around them, the calls of tortured souls and the cries of beasts that stalk in the night.

"Retreat!" called Evangeline. She flew down to the plaza stairs and beckoned to everyone present. Kaede flash-stepped over to Negi's group, grabbing Nodoka and Yue around the waist before fleeting away to safety. Asuna clamoured onto Negi's staff, and they flew off. Kū Fei ran over and grabbed Haruna, swinging her up to piggyback; Setsuna flew over swept Konoka up in her arms. Meanwhile, the Inquisitor and the Dreadnought held the stairs, acting as the rearguard. Of Mana, there was no sign.

The unearthly howling grew louder, and dark shapes began to spill out of the ground. Leering faces, misshapen bodies, many limbs, and burning eyes (as well as leering eyes, misshapen limbs, burning bodies, and many faces) rose up, keening in their freedom and blood-thirst.

"Chachamaru, regroup!" called the Inquisitor. She hovered up and began to float back towards the Negi-gumi; Chachamaru's Dreadnought began to walk backwards easily, weapons trained on the spectacle before them. When she reached the top of the stairs, she turned her body around and sprinted after the Inquisitor's form.

"After them!" roared Candelios. The summoned daemons howled in delight and gave chase.

* * *

"…Yea, for mine Emperor is with me!" Evangeline intoned. A crackling barrier of golden light surrounded the Negi-gumi/Inquisitorial group, shielding them from the daemons.

"Wow!" Nodoka looked up, watching the dancing lights. "Pretty!"

"I'm glad you think that my Sanctuary is both beautiful and practical," drawled the Inquisitor. Nodoka hid behind her bangs shyly.

"What is this Sanctuary?" Yue asked. She had long since drained her juicebox, and was twitching every now and again; she needed to get to the bathroom soon.

"The physical manifestation of the Emperor's Will," replied Evangeline, "for though I am an Inquisitor, and counted among the mighty of the Daemonhunters, I am still His servant, and through me, His Will is made manifest."

"_Cool_," Haruna looked around, uncaring about the technicalities and just worried about the story potential.

Within the Sanctuary, the air was calm and warm; without, the daemons howled in fury at being denied their pray. The Negi-gumi sat in a loose circle around the Inquisitor, pondering what to do next.

The Inquisitor frowned. "I would advise you all to remain close. While my Sanctuary will keep out even Candelios, it is not a surety against them. They may yet break through."

"Why not just have _Setsuna_ conjure her Barrier?" taunted Evangeline through the Dreadnought's vox. She gestured to Setsuna on the other side of the group. "Oh, that's right, that didn't work so well last time—"

Setsuna leapt to her feet and drew her blade.

"SILENCE, you damned annoying vampire!" snapped the Inquisitor, startling even Setsuna. The Inquisitor rose. "You will cease to bait us, my dear."

"My dear?" repeated Evangeline incredulously. "Just who do you think you—?"

"I would think that obvious," retorted the Inquisitor, cutting her diminutive other self off. "I am Evangeline, Senior Inquisitor of the Ordo Malleus and—as the leader of this group—_your boss_, which means that you are under my orders, and those orders include 'shut up'. Oh, and since I'm you, I'll give you a little bit of advice, as a favour to the both of us: You'd _better_ shut up before you piss of the Inquisitor."

"Fascinating," muttered Yue, "that we should see two versions of Eva-san incarnate in front of us, two personalities but one person, arguing on the intra-mental plane but from without their bodies—"

"Um, Yue? Please stop," Asuna pleaded, shaking her head. "My head hurts." Yue fell silent.

"Quite the little party you're having," drawled Mana, walking into the Sanctuary with a shimmering of light. She dropped her rifle with a heavy thud and dropped to a sitting position wearily.

"Glad to see you made it out alive, Mana-san," observed the Inquisitor. Mana's lips twitched into a smile.

"Well, I think I've made Candelios and his worshipers wary of me," replied the mercenary miko.

"In all seriousness," continued the Inquisitor, sombre, "we must immediately take stock of the situation. We are few, and our foe is legion. We have little time until Candelios completes the destruction of the Astronomicon, and then we will have no future."

"Master," Negi piped up, "what is the Astronomicon?"

"Oh, bōya," sighed the Inquisitor, "you cannot understand just how vital the Astronomicon is to the very future of the Imperium. It is a great beacon, sustained by the will of the Emperor and the power of the Golden Throne. It acts like a lighthouse, throwing light out into the void from its seat here on Holy Terra; the Navis Nobilite, the Navigators, use it to orient themselves in the Warp. Without it, faster-than-light travel would be impossible; the Imperium would collapse—or rather, it would never exist, since we would never travel past this solar system and into the vast expanse between the stars. _We would not be!_"

"And, of course, the most immediate problem is the destruction of the go-shinboku Bantō, the World Tree," interjected Setsuna. She stood several feet away, wisps of lightning crackling at her feet, not part of the main group; the Sanctuary did not distinguish friend or foe, but only saw the daemon, and so Setsuna forfeited its protection. "Who knows what destruction that would wreak on Mahora?"

"Indeed," agreed the Inquisitor. "Not only that, but Candelios—free from the confines of the Warp and of the Academy, and with the power of the Astronomicon his to command—would no doubt go on to destroy Holy Terra itself. Indeed, the Imperium would fall before it was ever built, the bricks and mortar crumbling to dust before its foundation was ever laid. We must stop him at all cost!"

Setsuna straightened to her full height. "I am ready to sell my life dearly, in atonement for what I have done."

"Setchan!" squeaked Konoka. She jumped to her feet. "No, I forbid you to throw you life away!"

"Forgive me, Ojōsama," replied Setsuna, "but if by my death I may ensure your life, I would gladly give all that I am, all that I have, to see that you and all I hold dear are safe."

"Setchan…" Konoka began to weep, frustrated that her dear friend was willing to go to her own destruction so easily. Asuna hugged her and whispered comforting nothings in her ear. Setsuna pressed against the barrier; it held against her, and so she could do naught but push a hand against it, as though it were a window, and she was standing outside, looking in and unable to do anything about what she witnessed. She hung her head, feeling helpless.

"Inquisitor," Mana asked, "can the wards be returned to their full strength?"

"I can only hope so," the Inquisitor returned. "It was my intent to have them restored, but…"

"But you don't know for sure," Mana finished. The Inquisitor nodded. "This is a dilemma," Mana muttered. "On the one hand, I would be useful as a Daemonhunter, fighting alongside you, but on the other hand, I would be needed to restore the wards…"

"Come with us, Mana," the Inquisitor ordered. "Your skills at exorcism and demon-hunting will be worth much to us. Our fate lies on the field of battle.

"As for the rest…" The Inquisitor looked 'round at her companions. "Bōya, Asuna, Konoka, you will come with us."

"This one would offer her services, _de gozaru_," Kaede offered, bowing from the waist.

"Kū-rōshi fight too!" piped up the blonde. "Fight demons that hurt friends!"

They turned to the Dreadnought. "Fine," huffed Eva, "if only so that I can _finally_ get my peace and quiet back…"

The Inquisitor raised a hand to her helmet. "Hakase? Hakase, come in," she spoke. Crackling static filled her ear-bead, then—

"…read y— —quizitor," came the reply.

"Can you launch? I say, can you launch?" asked the Inquisitor.

"—minus five— —nutes."

"Launch, launch, launch," ordered the Inquisitor.

"—knowled—"

"Nodoka, Yue, Haruna" instructed the Inquisitor, "return to the dorms and stay put. You must find someone—Takahata, the Dean—and inform them of what is going on. Tell them everything you know, and warn them."

"Hey, I wanna help too," Haruna pouted.

"And? What can you offer?" the Inquisitor replied.

"Well, I've got my artefact! Adeat!" she called; her magic sketchbook and her special cap, apron, and feather quill appeared, ready to be used. "Y'see, I've been practicing with my sketches," she explained, "and I've got a few in reserve that I think'll—"

"Oh, bother," sighed both Eva and Evangeline as one. The others burst out laughing at the unintentional synchronicity, while Haruna pouted further.

"Very well, Haruna," the Inquisitor acquiesced. "Come!" she snapped, "For the God-Emperor, let us throw back the daemons!"

* * *

The daemons howled and gibbered, snarling in frustration. Their prey had eluded them, and to make matters worse, the Shinto witch had blasted a full dozen of their brethren back into the Warp from hiding. The summoned Pink Horrors now cavorted around their master, Candelios. One of the Horrors sidled up to him; it was Fur'mex.

"Lord Candelios, may we not seek out the witches?" he pleaded. "They have done us so much harm!"

"No," rumbled the Daemon Prince. "Let them come to us; they are no match for our sorcery, and we will swat them like insects. But leave the Inquisitor to me; we have unfinished business."

"Yes, Your Lordship," muttered Fur'mex. In truth, lesser daemons like him had little chance of defeating Evangeline; even without the psychic powers of demon-destroying and banishment that her Grey Knight allies wielded, the Inquisitor was a fearsome psychic warrior. Fuelled by the grace of the Emperor, she could command even the most determined foe to halt in his tracks, hurtle the wicked from her path with a word, and castigate the blackened souls of her enemies with bright lightning.

"Ah, they come," Candelios announced, sounding pleased. "Now, my servants, go: tear them apart!" The daemons howled as one, rising and scampering around eagerly, waiting for the prey.

A whining, buzzing sound grew in the air; the daemons paused, growling in confusion.

"What is that?" muttered Candelios. He peered into the sky. A group of twenty flying machines, no larger than a man, came into view. They veered into a dive, straight at the daemons.

"Attack!" roared the daemon patriarch. The Horrors looked to the sky and blasted the fliers with pink flames; half of the aircraft exploded, while the rest plunged into the massed ranks of daemons and detonated, showering the area with blinding white light and chemical flames.

* * *

"_Rastel Maskil Magister! Ūnus Fulgor Concidēns Noctem, in Meā Manū Ēns Inimīcum Edat! Fulgurātiō Albicans!_" cried Negi, hissing as the purity seal on his breast lit up and burned.

"Scourge of the wicked, cleanse their dark souls with the flame of purity!" cried Evangeline.

"_Kakusanzankōsen!_" Setsuna cried, a pair of purity seals fairly sizzling on her shoulders.

"_Tobi-dōgu: Bakudan no Kunai!_" called Kaede, throwing paper-streaming kunai into the massed ranks of daemons.

Explosions lit the preternatural twilight that had descended upon Mahora as magic and ki tore into the massed ranks of Horrors, who gibbered and screamed as they were torn apart.

The earlier attack—courtesy of Hakase—had dropped several dozen pounds of phosphor and magnesium, as well as flash-fuses, so that the blinding white chemical fires blinded and burned the daemonic adversaries before the Inquisitor's party launched their attack.

However, for every Horror that fell, two more emerged to take its place, changing from pink to blue.

"What—They're changing colour? What's going on?" demanded Asuna.

"Pink Horrors split into a pair of Blue Horrors when they are damaged," yelled the Inquisitor. "However, each is only half as powerful as the original, and they tend to bicker amongst themselves. Target the Pink Horrors, and leave the Blue ones to themselves."

Each student had been given a purity seal from the Inquisitor's armour; Setsuna had two, as she had been badly exposed to the Warp over the course of Candelios's presence at Mahora. The consecrated parchments kept the worst of the Warp's daemonic predators at bay, stopping them from clawing at the students' minds while they fought. The mages—Negi, Konoka, and Haruna—were especially vulnerable, as they had a pre-existing affinity for magic, as was Setsuna, whose demonic blood had been awoken and further corrupted by dark magic. Asuna was at less risk due to her magic cancel, and Mana was a trained priestess with her own holy powers to command. Kū Fei and Kaede had no natural protection, as they were mortals, though they had physical power beyond that of ordinary humans.

Negi stood back for once, having been persuaded by the group at large that his abilities were best suited to playing the role of magical artillery, his kenpō practice notwithstanding. He was a mage at heart, and he knew a variety of offensive and defensive magic that would be invaluable to the group, but to lose him in a melee offended everyone's sensibilities. He took his time, throwing White Lightning and Magic Arrows of Light, Wind, and occasionally Lightning at the daemons, doing as little to attract their attention as he was able while doing as much damage as he could.

Asuna, though she wished dearly to kick some demonic butt, remained behind to guard Negi, Konoka, and Haruna. Konoka was to heal anyone that fell back to their position in search of aid, and Haruna deployed her golems to shield their artillery-mage and medic-mage. Since Haruna took damage whenever a golem was destroyed, hanging out in the rearguard and having Konoka nearby made it safer for her to work her artefact.

Kū Fei, Kaede, Setsuna, the Inquisitor, Mana, and Chachamaru formed a moving line, bearing down on the daemons wherever they appeared. Mana had set her rifle up near Negi as a last-ditch position to hold, but was in the thick of things at the moment, blasting away with her twin pistols at anything that dared get close, using the consecrated ammunition provided by the Inquisitor. Kū Fei smashed daemons with fists, feet, and chi-powered strikes, and Kaede tossed bombs in their midst, blinding them and even blowing a few unlucky ones apart.

Meanwhile, Setsuna—enhanced because of her exposure to the Warp—cut a wide swath through the daemonic horde with wild abandon, furiously annihilating her foes. She made wide use of _Raimeiken_ and _Zanmaken: Ni-no-Tachi_, electrifying those that strayed to close and nailing any daemon that dared sneak up behind her friends, as well as _Zankūsen_ and _Zankūsen: Ni-no-Tachi_, releasing her ki to cut through the daemons both close and in hiding behind a human shield.

A wave of daemons, identifying Setsuna as both a traitor to their own and the most immediate danger, surged towards her.

"Setsuna!" yelled the Inquisitor.

"_Hyakuretsu-oukazan!_" yelled Setsuna. She swung in a blazing arc, cherry blossoms fluttering in the air as she spun, tearing into the daemons in a welter of ichor.

"By the Emperor…" muttered the Inquisitor, "and I thought the Flesh Tearers were savage! Setsuna puts them to shame!"

Mana blasted her way through the daemons and reached Setsuna's side just as another wave of daemons gathered to swarm the han'yō. "Setsuna! Are you well?"

"Well enough, Mana," replied Setsuna. Though the duel had ended inconclusively, Setsuna was ashamed at how events had played out, how she had been duped into working as Candelios's pawn. However, Mana seemed to hold no grudge, and was focused on destroying the enemy.

Setsuna and Mana met back-to-back and stared out around them. A leering wall of daemon-flesh stared back at them.

"Setsuna, can you handle them all?" queried Mana sarcastically, grinning over her shoulder.

"I'll wager I can take down more than you," Setsuna shot back, almost—but not quite—grinning back. "_Dewa!_ _Kakusanzankōsen!_"

Even before she completed her exclamation, Mana was rapid-firing in a circle around them, punching holes in daemons with her ensorcelled bullets. Setsuna released a wave of ki in all directions, finishing off the daemonic circle around them. As the daemons fell, keening in agony and anger, Setsuna and Mana straightened up, surveying the scene. They had gained a moment's respite with their actions; none of the daemons wanted to try them again so soon.

"Not bad, Setchan," Mana commented, smirking as she reloaded her pistols with easy, practiced motions. Setsuna twitched in anger at Mana's casual use of Konoka's special name for the loyal Shinmeiryū bodyguard, but let it pass. _I can always duel her again over my honour_, thought Setsuna, with only a trace of wry irony. _Because I know how well that turned out this time._

An unearthly wailing rose up, forcing the Negi-gumi—even Setsuna and Mana—to clap their hands to the sides of their heads and stop their ears in protest, trying to shut out they crying noise.

A wall of fire erupted from the ground, and daemons with burning eyes and long, sinuous, snake-like bodies made purely of flames rose up in droves.

"Flamers!" cried the Inquisitor. "Do not let them touch you; their hellfire will destroy you!"

"Well, that's jolly good, now isn't it?" complained Evangeline. "Then how do we fight them?"

The Flamers screeched and dove at Setsuna and Mana, who promptly turned tail and ran, breaking for the rear of their lines; Kū and Kaede followed suit.

"Fall back!" the Inquisitor called to the Dreadnought.

"Bloody hell…" muttered Evangeline. Chachamaru turned the Dreadnought around to make for the rest of the group, but just then, a group of flying beasts descended on the unsuspecting pair piloting the Dreadnought.

"Screamers!" shrieked the Inquisitor, appalled. Candelios was calling every daemon of Tzeentch, high and low, to come and do his bidding. Like giant hovering manta rays, the Screamers descended on the Dreadnought, lashing it with their fangs and tails. They were easily capable of destroying it with their Warp Jaws, melting through even hallowed ceramite and adamite plating—and the Dreadnought was hardly Astartes general-issue.

"Eva, get out of there!" the Inquisitor voxed.

"Like we're just here for the fun!" retorted Evangeline. "Chachamaru, the time for grace is gone! KILL THE BASTARD DAEMON-SPAWN!"

"Yes, Master," replied Chachamaru in her ever-present deadpan, unruffled by her Master's roughness. The Dreadnought swung around and knocked away a trio of Screamers, then lumbered into a run, swinging its gigantic weapons as wrecking balls at full pelt, tossing the Warp-beasts left, right, and centre. A half-dozen made to block the path of their charge/retreat; the Dreadnought's twin-linked lascannon spoke, and two were blasted straight back to the hell that had spawned them. The remaining four broke as Chachamaru bowled through them with her power claw.

"They're still coming!" Asuna yelled from her vantage point. She was correct; the Flamers had kept in hot pursuit behind the Dreadnought, and would catch it any second. [Pardon the pun—_Ed._]

A blur hurtled past the stunned Dreadnought; it was Negi on his staff. He sped directly at the Flamers and landed hard before them.

"BAKA NEGI!" yelled Asuna, making to charge after him, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PLAYING AT?"

"Rastel Maskil Magister: Artis Speciālis Flōs Nocticulus Līmitātus per Decem Secundās. Sine Cantū Clāvis Movēns Sit Verba. Dominus Āeriālis! Veniant Spīritūs Āeriālēs Fulgurientēs. Cum Fulgurātiōne Flet Tempestās Austrīna. Jovis Tempestās Fulguriēns! Dīlātiō Effectūs!" Negi muttered under his breath as he skidded to a stop. A spiral of wind coiled around him for a moment or two, then vanished just as suddenly.

"Bōya! Don't you dare die on me!" Evangeline roared, as Chachamaru swung the Dreadnought around to face the Flamers again. "Chachamaru," Eva spoke rapidly, "if the bōya dies, I'll have you dismantled! Not to mention, the Inquisitor will probably try to exorcise me, so you'd better—" The Dreadnought had already begun to lumber after the boy-wizard.

"Rastel Maskil Magister: Vertātur Tempestās Vēris! Nōbīs Prōtectiōnem Āeriālem! Flāns Pariēs Ventī Vertentis!" cried Negi, raising his wand just as the Flamers bore down on him. A whirling wall of wind sprung up around Negi, spinning the Flamers around in its embrace. The Dreadnought came up short; its pilots could see nothing within, and they were likely to be killed if they charged blindly.

"MORON!" Eva yelled. "You locked us out!"

"_Flet, Ūne Vente! Flāns Saltātiō Pulverea!"_ A further blast of wind sent the Flamers flying high; their burning bodies began to disintegrate as the air was sucked out of the barrier.

"Brilliant!" the Inquisitor breathed. "He lured the Flamers in, then sucked out the oxygen! Even they can't possibly—"

The Flamers roared, coming together into one single, huge burning body above Negi's head, fangs like white-hot iron dripping burning venom.

"Oh, damn!" cried every member of the Negi-gumi.

"Look!" Asuna cried.

The Wind Barrier was dissolving in the face of the daemonic resistance. Negi slumped to his knees, his wand—clutched stiffly in his left hand—the only thing that held him from keeling over completely.

"Friggin' idiot!" Eva snarled. "He sucks out the air, and for what? He'll pass out in five seconds! Chachamaru, fire the cannon—"

"Dominus… Āeriālis! _Ēmittam!_" Negi yelled with his last breath, flinging up his right hand in a gesture of defiance.

A colossal spiral of wind and lightning erupted from Negi's outstretched palm. It smashed into the über-Flamer and bored into it. It hissed and shrieked, finally exploding into molten fragments. With this, Negi sank to his knees, and his wind barrier evaporated.

"Negi, watch out—!"

Screamers descended on Negi from nowhere; he looked up, panicked. He had no time—

Kaede swept him up in her arms and zoomed away; the Screamers collided on the ground, perplexed by the sudden disappearance of their prey.

"BŌYA!" roared Evangeline with great displeasure. The Dreadnought's flamer spewed out holy promethium, dousing the Screamers and roasting them a three-second burst.

"IF YOU _EVER_ DO THAT AGAIN, I WILL FLAY YOU ALIVE!" Evangeline yelled over the unearthly crackle and wail of burning Screamers.

"Negi!" his partners wailed. Kaede deposited him gently on the ground as the group closed ranks.

"This one thinks that he has only passed out, _de gozaru_," Kaede offered.

"So, like, should we give him mouth-to-mouth?" Haruna wondered. "I'm sure Hon'ya-chan would—"

"Eeeeeeh?" Nodoka blushed, hiding behind her bangs. "M-M-Mouth-to-mouth? L-Like a _kiss_?"

"Gods!" Asuna punched Negi in the side, hard. He gasped, sucking down a great breath and coughing. Asuna eased him to a sitting position.

"…I guess that worked…" Setsuna muttered. "Ah, Konoka-ojōsama, perhaps you should—?"

"If he was deprived of oxygen, even if it was only for a short while…" The Inquisitor looked down at Negi, worried. "We wouldn't want to risk him suffering brain damage."

"_Sō ya!_ My artefact! You're right, Setchan!" Konoka drew her pactio card and invoked it with "Adeat!" Her healing fans and robe appeared, and she waved them over Negi.

"Brain damage," Asuna scoffed, "_this_ runt? No, never happen. He couldn't get any _worse_, right?"

"Asuna!" Setsuna snapped. "Now is not the time for—"

"Where is Candelios?" Mana interrupted, looking around the area.

They all peered about, now wondering the same thing. Indeed, there was no indication—other than scorches where the daemons had exploded—that the incursion had even occurred at all.

"Aiya? Where monsters go?" Kū Fei wondered aloud, peering about. "They run?"

"No…" The Inquisitor straightened up. "Candelios is neither a coward nor a fool. Unlike the legions of Khorne or Slaanesh, Tzeentchian daemons will turn from a fight if it better serves their purposes. He must be…"

"Hey, wait!" Asuna suddenly snapped up to a kneeling position, dropping Negi unceremoniously. "He's after the… Asutoro… _nanika_, whatever, _that_ thing! And the World Tree is the only thing here, right? Well… If it's a _tree_, it has _roots_, and—"

"_Underground!_" the Negi-gumi cried as one. Asuna pouted. "_I was going to say that_," she muttered.

"Chachamaru, scan the area," the Inquisitor instructed. "Any spikes in energy, on any spectrum…"

"Acknowledged," replied Chachamaru. "Broadband scan initiated. Master, do you sense anything?"

"The lingering taint of Chaos, perhaps," replied Evangeline sourly, the vox further distorting her voice so that she sounded even more out-of-sorts than usual.

"Scans indicate a hollow beneath the plaza," Chachamaru reported. "Depth analysis impossible, due to conflicting energy readings. However, the hollow appears to extend the length of the plaza. The centre appears to be ten metres north-west from my current location."

The Inquisitor looked to the approximate location that Chachamaru had designated. "He intends to burn the Tree…" she muttered.

"What?" Asuna looked up at the Inquisitor. "Burn it underground? Why not from up here?"

"Tree roots extend in deep, complex patterns beneath the ground," the Inquisitor replied. "You could cut a tree down and leave a stump, but in time, a new tree would spring up from the old. However, if you kill the roots, the tree will wither and perish. Underground burning can continue for a surprisingly long time, too, despite how that might run contrary to your intuition; Candelios will make damn sure that the World Tree dies. Evangeline," she voxed, "what is your status?"

"Peachy keen," Eva retorted.

"…More to the point," the Inquisitor replied tartly, "what is the status of your energy reserves and weapon systems?"

"Five shots remain for the lascannon," replied Chachamaru smartly. "As well, the Incinerator has three seconds main burn, five seconds reserve. Power claw can run indefinitely; main systems still green."

"Not much, but better than I'd hoped," replied the Inquisitor. "Chachamaru, open us a way underground."

"As you wish, Inquisitor," replied Chachamaru. She lumbered the Dreadnought over to the centre of the plaza.

The Negi-gumi made their way over to the Dreadnought. Asuna, Nodoka, and Haruna changed their artefacts back into pactio cards and stored them carefully in their pockets. "Stay back," the Inquisitor warned, "give Chachamaru some room to work…"

A sudden nausea rushed over Setsuna: a pulse ran through her, making her shake. "Setchan?" inquired Konoka, worried.

"I…" _Your doom approaches, Setsuna Sakurazaki,_ whispered a voice.

"Setchan?" Konoka asked again, worried.

"Ojōsama…" Setsuna straightened. "I… am well. So long as I can serve you…"

Konoka looked frightened at Setsuna's sudden shift in mood, but had no chance to pursue it further, because—

"Chachamaru," said the Inquisitor, "'Make some noise', as they say."

Chachamaru's only response was to level the lascannon squarely at the ground, charge, and fire. A huge crack appeared in the plaza; Chachamaru drew back the Dreadnought's power claw and formed it into a fist, slamming it into the ground and breaking open an enormous hole, through which the Negi-gumi fell into darkness.

* * *

Negi clutched his staff and floated down; he released an unincanted spell and held Asuna aloft as well. The Inquisitor held Haruna by the waist and glided down on a gentle psychic wake and minimal grav-dampers build into her armour. Setsuna drifted downward on her wings, holding Konoka close.

"All accounted for?" asked the Inquisitor. Negi looked around as Nodoka floated over to him, clutching gratefully to his staff and to Asuna.

"I think so, Master, but Evangeline—"

_Crash, CLAAAANG!_ "Bōya…" came a drawn-out, metallic, irritated voice from the darkness far below.

"—Evangeline-san is… below," finished Negi lamely.

Setsuna, Negi, and the Inquisitor floated slowly downwards, holding fast to their charges. Negi carefully projected a faint beam of light from his spell-casting ring, while the Inquisitor activated a lamp-pack in her armour's right shoulder. Haruna quickly drew out a practice wand and invoked "Practe Bigi Nar: Ārdēscat!", lighting a small flame at the tip of the wand; Konoka followed suit.

The tiny flames and lights illuminated their surroundings: They were in a great stone shaft, like a giant well. It was probably three metres across; the stone sides were smooth and light brown in colour, about the size of a person's head. The mortar between them held fast; there were few cracks, though here and there a huge tree root had erupted and snaked along the bare walls.

They looked up: Kaede clung to the walls about five metres above them, a pair of kunai thrust into the stone; thinking fast, she had tossed a pair to Mana, who did likewise on the opposite side of the well about two metres lower. Kū Fei had thrown a length of her sash to catch on a protruding root; she dangled stupidly five metres above Mana, stuck where she was because there was nothing else close by to which she could leap or even which she could take hold.

The three girls peered into the darkness below as the Negi-gumi spiraled ever downward into the gloom.

"Is no demons here, I thinking," called Kū Fei, swaying on her sash and still put out about how uselessly she was hanging.

"This one thinks that your assessment is… hasty, Kū-dono," puffed Kaede. Despite her athleticism, the kunai were not really proper handholds, and Kaede was only awkwardly holding on to them. Nearby, Mana was also having a similar problem.

"Kaede," Mana grunted, "while I thank you for tossing me some spikes, this is NOT comfortable. Perhaps you have an idea of how we might get down from here?"

"Ah…" Kaede tried to shrug, the result of which is that her grip on the kunai slipped a millimetre more. "Well, Mana-dono, this one doesn't have anything in mind at the moment…"

"Kū-roshi will stay strong, pray for your safety!" Kū offered.

"Wonderful," Mana scowled. "I'm stuck clinging to a wall with _you_ airheads…"

"Aiya! No you mock airhead Kū-roshi!" Kū wailed. "Is four-thousand years of Kenpō history under Kū-roshi sash! You want fight again, Mana-san? Kū Fei beat you at Budōkai, will do it again _de aru!_"

"Kū," Mana growled, "if I could reach my guns, I would shoot you. Shut up."

Kū lapsed into resentful mutterings, but remained quiet.

"Oya?" Kaede exclaimed. "Perhaps this one would make better conversation with Mana-dono—"

"Kaede, you can shut up too," Mana shot back.

"Mana-dono," Kaede admonished gently, "so tense…"

Negi laughed uncomfortably as the uptight miko and the two Baka Rangers finished their exchange, but quickly lapsed into intense concentration. Below the group, the abyss stretched down to infinity, or so it seemed. However, they had heard Evangeline's Dreadnought crash down but moments before, so there _was_ a bottom.

"Inquisitor," Negi asked, "shouldn't the Dreadnought have a light or something?"

"Yes… It should. Chachamaru," the Inquisitor spoke into the vox, "is the Dreadnought's lamp functioning?"

"Negative," crackled back the gynoid from down below. "Diagnostics indicate that the lamp's wiring has come loose due to the crash. Also, gyro-stabilizers are in idle lock-out as well, for the same reason."

"Dammit!" the Inquisitor spat. "So you're immobilized?"

"You built the thing," Eva retorted, petulant. "You should know."

"Well, Eva-chan, while I'm aware that you didn't exactly deploy via Drop Pod, if I had one, I'd just as soon Drop the Pod _on your head_! I _know_ I built the damn Dreadnought! Maybe I'll _unbuild_ it, and when I tear it apart I'LL MAKE SURE TO TOSS YOU ON THE SCRAP HEAP!" the Inquisitor shouted, half into the vox and half down into the chasm before angrily switching off her voice unit.

The rest of the Negi-gumi shuddered at the Inquisitor's angry tone; a momentary psychic echo of her anger floated over them. It affected Setsuna far more than the others; other strange echoes seemed to come from out of nowhere all around her, reverberating off the walls or in her ears, she could not tell which.

"Setchan…" Konoka whispered, clearly sensing her friend and bodyguard's unease. "What's wrong, Setchan? You're not well…"

"Ojōsama, I— Ung!" Setsuna tensed, her stomach cramping, the muscles unconsciously tensing against some intrusion. Setsuna wobbled in midair, drifting first one way, then another, Konoka grabbing hold of Setsuna's neck in fright. Without warning, Setsuna's wings collapsed, folding in on themselves as her strength gave out. Setsuna fought through the pain and held Konoka tight, dropping faster than she would have liked towards the bottom.

"Setsuna-san!" Negi quickly conjured an unincanted spell around him and Asuna and cut the magic that held his staff aloft. They dropped in a quick but controlled manner after Setsuna and Konoka in a deliberate free-fall.

"Uh, are we gonna get left behind?" Haruna wondered aloud. She craned around to look up at the Inquisitor. "I mean, can't we go any faster?"

The Inquisitor watched Setsuna and Negi's groups descend quickly. "Oh, I certainly could go that fast," the Inquisitor muttered, half distracted, half amused, "but only if you want to have a few bones broken. _My_ armour could absorb far more punishment than that; I doubt _your_ body could do the same."

"Ah…" Haruna turned to look down into the dark again. "Well, then, no complaints from me. Full slow ahead."

The Inquisitor looked back up at the three dangling girls. "Mana, Kū Fei, Kaede: Hold tight. We'll come get you as quickly as we can."

"Reassuring…" Mana muttered.

"Baka Rangers hold position!" Kū shouted.

"_De gozaru!_" agreed Kaede.

"SHUT UP!" Mana yelled, gasping as her fingers slipped.

With that, the Inquisitor and Haruna floated down into the dark after their comrades.

* * *

Setsuna alighted at the bottom of the pit with a decided lack of grace. She managed to land gently on both feet, but collapsed to her knees immediately, nearly dropping Konoka. Only her will to do well by her Ojōsama stopped her from dumping Konoka in a heap. Even so, Konoka had barely scrambled to her feet when Setsuna keeled over, dead to the world.

"SETCHAN!" Konoka's voice rang up to where Negi and his group were descending. Negi, Asuna, and Nodoka settled to the ground a little wobbly but quickly gained solid footing. Negi immediately went to inspect the Dreadnought while Asuna and Nodoka crowded close to Konoka, inspecting Setsuna.

"Setchan! Wake up! Setchan!" Konoka shook Setsuna, who didn't respond. She was out cold, breathing shallow but regular.

"What happened?" Asuna asked, concerned. Setsuna was a good friend and, even though the two of them had their differences in the last few weeks, Asuna couldn't help but worry for Setsuna, for Konoka's sake as well.

"I don't know, she just… fainted," Konoka panted, worried. Setsuna wasn't moving.

"The half-breed is Chaos-tainted," rang out Eva's voice from the Dreadnought's vox. "Naturally, since she's been playing around too much with forces beyond her understanding. Poor thing," she added, mock-soothing.

Something snapped inside Asuna. "FUCK YOU, EVA!" Asuna screamed, drawing out her pactio card and summoning Ensis. Konoka jumped in fright and scuttled back from the deranged redhead. "I have had enough of your SHIT! You're always ragging on Setsuna, and for WHAT? Yeah, she's a demon, but GOD-DAMN if she isn't always trying her best for Konoka. And what about you?" Asuna swung her sword over her head wildly, the extreme gesticulations nearly decapitating Konoka and Nodoka, who had flung themselves to the floor in an effort to avoid Asuna's wrath. "Come on out of that tin-can, you BITCH, so I can kill you!"

Asuna leaped towards the Dreadnought and brought her sword whistling down in an arc, spitting sparks as the tip nicked the low ceiling. Negi dove and rolled away as the enormous blade came crashing down. The Dreadnought pivoted on its torso in a leftward spin to catch the sword-blade in its articulated left-hand power fist. Force energy danced, white, red, and blue, along the edge of Asuna's sword, and psychic flames licked around the Dreadnought's fingers.

"Asuna-san, please stop this!" Negi pleaded. He dared not approach while Asuna and Evangeline were locked in combat; a misstep could easily kill him. But he could not wait for them to stop on their own. "Do not fight Evangeline! She is an ally, a classmate, a friend!"

"Some damn friend… she is!" Asuna spat. "Evangeline hasn't stopped getting on Setsuna-san's case since… ever! It's always 'half-breed' and 'worthless' and _I've had enough!_"

"Asuna-san, Negi-sensei is right," came Chachamaru's voice over the vox. "While we are allies, your actions have threatened the Master, and as such you constitute a threat. Your attack in response to my Master's goading is forgiven as a result of provocation, but if you continue in this manner, I will be forced to stop you most forcefully."

"I do _not_ forgive her, Chachamaru!" Eva snapped. "Don't you go forgiving people on my behalf! I won't tolerate it."

"Pardon me, Master," Chachamaru replied, "but by the same token, if you continue to harass Asuna-san or the others in your usual manner, it will jeopardise our safety and well-being, including your own, Master. Therefore, I suggest that the simplest route to preserve your safety, as my main programming indicates, is to convince you to cease—for the time being—the provocation of our allies against us."

The Dreadnought's fingers began to gently lower Asuna's sword down towards the front of the Dreadnought. As soon as the edge was aimed away from the cockpit, Chachamaru released the power fist's finger controls and pushed the blade away; it slammed into the ground with a heavy _thud_ on the stone, gouging a groove a metre-long and ten centimetres deep in the ground.

"Ghh…" Drained of her rage, Asuna could no longer maintain the true form of her sword. Ensis sizzled and evaporated, leaving behind her harisen instead. She straightened slowly, pointing the fan in as menacing a way as she could at the Dreadnought again. "We're not finished, Evangeline," Asuna murmured, only loudly enough so that the vampire could hear her in the cockpit. "When this is over, we'll settle this." The only response in return was a "Humph" from the vox.

"God-damn you children!" swore the Inquisitor as she floated down, dropping Haruna without dignity as soon as they landed. Haruna yelped in protest, but averted her eyes at the sight of the Inquisitor's anger. "We haven't the time for this! Candelios is probably nearby, laughing his Emperor-damned arse off that we're trying to kill each other instead of him! Remember, _he is a daemon of Tzeentch! He _wants _us to be off-guard and fight amongst ourselves!_ We cannot give him the satisfaction—"

* * *

It happened without warning: A leering wall of eyes, shining with inner hell-light, slithered up around them. There was no sound; a smothering silence descended on the group, who looked around aghast, some with eyes wide, some with mouths agape. They could not move; their hearts, their heads, their hands frozen.

With a rush, the wall of eyes exploded upwards, rocking the cavern. Purple flames danced as rock tumbled from above.

Higher in the well, Kū Fei let out a scream. "AIYA! Is earthquake _de aru!_ Baka Rangers die for sure, yes?"

"Well, this one certainly… does not wish to, _de gozaimasen yo_! But… Now is not… the time… for wishful thinking alone…" Kaede grunted and grimaced as her kunai began to slide from the crack in which they were thrust. "Kū-dono, you know _shundō_, _de gozaru ne?_"

Kū swung violently on her makeshift rope-sash "Aiya! Know shundō, yes, but right now not good time—"

CRACK! The wall split vertically between Kaede and Mana. The miko's kunai spikes came free and she began to fall, her only response a small gasp as she realized she had no options left.

"KŪ-DONO!" Kaede bellowed, "LOOK TO YOURSELF, DE GOZARU! NIN-NIN! KAEDE NINPŌ: SHUNDŌ!"

Kaede launched herself off the wall and dove for Mana. Kaede hit the opposite wall and launched herself back the way she came. Crossing the three-metre diameter with blazing speed, she made an odd criss-cross pattern, sometimes jumping 90 degrees off from the way she came.

_Mana-dono, don't die—!_

* * *

_CRASH! Rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble…_ Choking dust rose up from the bottom of the well. Mana's eyes were screwed shut against the noise, the fall, the dust, and the awful certainty that she just might die. Coughing out a mouthful of dirty spit, she opened one eye warily, wondering why she wasn't lying helpless with a broken back.

Kaede, panting heavily with one eye slit open, stood with feet splayed, secure on two flat slabs of rock. Mana turned her head and looked down. What she saw chilled even the cool and calculated mercenary: Beneath Kaede's perch was a rock spike at least a metre long. If Kaede had caught Mana a mere second later, the mercenary miko would have been impaled, and probably killed instantly.

Mana turned her head back up and closed her eyes again, sighing in genuine relief. For a moment. Then the feeling came back into her body, and she wondered just where Kaede had her hands—

"H-Hey!" Mana squirmed as she realized that Kaede's right hand was just under her_ chest_, while her left was unreasonably high on her_ leg_… "Leggo, Kaede!" Mana struggled to stand, nearly upsetting Kaede, who stepped to her left and tried to stand upright against her charge's struggles.

Mana pushed a hand towards Kaede to shove her away as Kaede set Mana on her feet, the result of which was Mana copping a feel of her own just under _Kaede's_ ample chest.

"Mā, if Mana-dono is unhappy with this one's services…" Kaede's slit eyes opened a crack, the teasing tone with which she said _sābisu_ easily conveying an alternate meaning. Mana glared back with icy hatred, but—

"…aaaaaaaaaiiiiiiYAAAAAA!" Kaede expertly flash-stepped back a step and caught Kū Fei.

"Wai! Was in danger, Baka Yellow, but saved by Baka Blue! Yatta!" Kū Fei snuggled up to Kaede, throwing her arms around the tall ninja like a lover.

"Sā, this one is but helping a friend…" Kaede blushed slightly, setting Kū Fei down.

Mana continued to glower, looking daggers at the both of them. "If either of you _bakas EVER_ speak of this again, I will kill you."

Both Kū Fei and Kaede bowed their heads and averted their eyes, raising a hand in front of their nose for "sumimasen".

Mana turned to look down at the rubble blocking the well, as did Kū Fei and Kaede. All three stared at the rock and ruin below. "They dead?" asked Kū Fei, her normally airheaded and playful tone subdued at the though of her friends trapped under tonnes of broken stone.

"Mmm… It is likely," Kaede mumbled, "and if so, we three are the only ones who can stop the daemon prince, _de gozaru_."

"Shit…" muttered Mana. She dropped to her knees, her resolve suddenly giving way. "SHIT!" she yelled, smashing a fist into the stone. "We failed! Candelios probably knew that we would drop right in on him! And setting up our _goddamned duel_ to draw us out… We walked right into his _goddamn trap_—"

_"I trust that you aren't giving up quite yet, Mana,"_ came a psychic voice. _"I do recall that you willingly entered service to the Golden Throne, and to me, so I would appreciate it if you remembered just what that symbol you're wearing means."_

Mana touched the Inquisitorial seal, hanging on its chain next to her chest. _Inquisitor?_

_"Still here,"_ came the reply. _"I don't think your Baka friends can hear me. The fortuitous combination of your powers and my seal about your neck gave me this opportunity. We are licking our wounds and preparing to drive home against Candelios. We might be too late by now, but by the Throne, we might yet stop him. Mana, in my absence, you are the Inquisitorial authority in Mahora. Escape if you can, regroup, and warn the mages. If the Tree falls, who knows what will happen. And GET THE DAMN WARDS UP! That may be the last hope we have!"_

_You have my word, Inquisitor_, replied Mana. "By my life or by my death, I will stop the beast." She spoke aloud for the benefit of Kū Fei and Kaede, who looked startled. Mana turned to them. Sighing, she turned to Kaede. "…I think I'll need you to carry me again," she muttered, resigned.

Surprisingly, Kaede bowed low in acquiescence. "This one would be honoured," she said simply. "Where to?"

Mana looked up. "To the end… Whatever our end might be. We gather those who can fight, and we fight."

Kaede again bowed. "With such great comrades, this one is honoured, _de gozaru_."

Mana ran a hand through her hair. "Let's go up, Kaede-san."

Kaede bowed one last time. "Up where we belong, _de gozaru_."

"Is Baka Rangers rolling out, _de aru_!" shouted Kū Fei.

Mana snorted. If only everyone could be as cheery as Kū Fei, they might have hope yet. "_IKU ZO!_" she shouted.

"_Ooooo!"_ replied the Baka Rangers. Mana grabbed Kū Fei and Kaede's shoulders, and together the three of them launched themselves back towards the surface.

* * *

_If they knew what their friends would have to face below, they may well have given up hope. But then again, true friends as they were, they equally likely would have gone through fire to stand with them at the end._

_As it was, their friends face a fate worse than all the fires of every imagined hell. A Daemon Prince lurked, even then tearing apart the fabric of their world._

_Would they stop him? And… at what cost?_

* * *

**To Be Completed… IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!**

* * *

**Author's P.S.:** Dammit! I thought I would finish the story with this Chapter. I think I've got _one_ more to go. (Yeah, I said that last time…) Well, I said I'd max out at 10, so I've got some leeway. Besides, you don't just want a cut-off, _ne_?

By the way, if you've seen the last episode of _Full Metal Panic: FUMOFFU_, you can just imagine the scene from this chapter where the demons explode and the well crumbles.

* * *

**Notes**

1) Negi's Magic (order of appearance):

A) Rastel Maskil Magister: Negi's Spell Activation Key. Used mainly by Western magi, such a chant focuses the mind of the mage and allows them to draw on the world's magic.

B) Ūnus Fulgor Concidēns Noctem, in Meā Manū Ēns Inimīcum Edat! Fulgurātiō Albicans! [One Flash of Lightning Cutting the Night, Residing in My Hand, Let It Eat the Enemy! White Lightning!]:

Negi uses this move as a straight up magical artillery barrage. It is a little like the Scourging, though hardly as powerful; Negi was probably inspired to use it when he saw the Inquisitor use her version.

C) Delayed Spell Combination: First, Negi muttered a very long incantation that comprised three different spells (i, ii, iii):

i) Artis Speciālis Flōs Nocticulus Līmitātus per _Decem Secundās_! Sine Cantū Clāvis Movēns Sit Verba! _Dominus Āeriālis!_

[The Special Technique's Night Flower Limited for _Ten Seconds_! Let the Initiation Key without an Incantation Be the Keyword! _Lord of the Air!_]:

This is the incantation to ready a spell for delayed use. The delay must be of an appropriate length: too long and the mage cannot hold the spell at all, too short and the spell dissipates without effect. Negi used a ten-second delay and the keyword "King of the Wind-Spirits". The spell that he chooses to delay is…

ii) Veniant Spīritūs Āeriālēs Fulgurientēs! Cum Fulgurātiōne Flet Tempestās Austrīna! Jovis Tempestās Fulguriēns!  
[Let the Air and Lightning Spirits Come! Let the Southern Storm Blow with Lightning! Jupiter's Thunderstorm!]:

A powerful blast of magic, what appears to be a combination of wind and lightning magic, Negi's specialties. It hits the foe like a ton of bricks, a cyclone of destruction. However, because he wanted it to be delayed…

iii) Dīlātiō Effectūs! [Execution Delay!]: This causes the spell immediately preceding (Jovis Tempestus) to stop from activating. In conjunction with the spell before _that_ (Limitatus), it holds Jovis Tempestus in reserve until Negi speaks the keyword.

iv) Vertātur Tempestās Vēris! Nōbīs Prōtectiōnem Āeriālem! Flāns Pariēs Ventī Vertentis!  
[Let the Spring Storm Turn! (Send) the Protection of Air to Us! Blusterous Tornado Barrier!]:

Next, he invoked a spell of protection around him, cutting the Flamers off from the outside and stealing their oxygen, as well as flinging them up into the air. [However, they managed to regroup.]

v) Flet, Ūne Vente! Flāns Saltātiō Pulverea! [Let It Blow Away, One Wind! A Blusterous and Dusty Dance!]: Negi uses this spell as added impetus to throw the Flamers high out of his reach. He used it as an unincanted spell, thinking the incantation in his head only while speaking aloud the more difficult Flāns Pariēs spell (iv).

vi) Dominus Āeriālis! Ēmittam! [Lord of the Air! Let Me Let It Go!]: Negi then spoke the keyword that released Jovis Tempestus (ii), and blasted the Flamers into oblivion.

D) Small-time magic:

i) Practe Bigi Nar [Practice Beginner]: The Spell Activation Key for beginners of magic. Until such a time as the mage creates his or her own personal key, this one suffices to allow them to perform basic magic, such as…

ii) Ārdēscat [Let It Burn!]: One of the very first spells that a mage is expected to learn, use, and master, the _Ārdēscat_ spell produces the smallest of flames at the tip of the caster's wand. Though the joke goes that using a lighter might be easier than conjuring the flame, the magical fire will burn without oxygen, so its applications are not to be underestimated, as when the caster is wet, or in a vacuum.

2) Yet more of the Shinmeiryū techniques:

-ken [剣]: "Sword Technique"

-sen [閃]: "Flash Technique"

-zan [斬]: "Slashing Technique"

Ougi [奥義]: "Ultimate Secret Technique"

Hiken [秘剣]: "Hidden Sword Technique"

_Raimeiken_ (雷鳴剣; "Thunderclap Sword"): Ougi, a slashing attack with lightning energy infused onto the sword.

Zanmaken (斬魔剣; "Evil-Cutting Sword"): Ougi, disperses demonic spirits.

Zanmaken Ni-no-Tachi (斬魔剣 弐の太刀; "Evil-Cutting Sword, Second Strike"): Ougi, cuts a demonic spirit behind a person without injuring the person.

(斬魔剣 弐の太刀 一閃; "Evil-Cutting Sword, Second Strike Flash"): Concentrates the ki from Zanmaken Ni-no-Tachi and releases it, except it can be performed bare-handed.

_Kakusanzankōsen_ (拡散斬光閃; "Scattering Light-Cutting Flash"): Releases ki in all directions.

_Zankūsen_ (斬空閃; "Air-Cutting Flash"): Hiken, releases ki in a circular fashion to cut the enemy.

(斬空閃 弐の太刀; "Air-Cutting Flash, Second Strike"): Cuts an enemy behind a person without injuring the person.

_Hyakuretsu-oukazan_ (百烈桜華斬; "Hundred-Strike Cherry Blossom Slash"): Ougi, draws a circle with the sword, and cuts multiple enemies at once.


	8. FOR MAHORA AND THE EMPEROR!

**DISCLAIMER:** Negima and everything that goes along with it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Ken Akamatsu (who made it) and everyone else (who got a slice of the pie). I stand in no way to profit from my work (or his). Though I wish I could.

Likewise, Warhammer 40,000 and everything that goes along with it doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Games Workshop, their subsidiaries, and their affiliates. I stand in no way to profit from incorporating their work into my own. Though I hope it will continue to be awesome.

**Chapter Seven Recap:** So Setsuna, the Inquisitor, and the Negi-gumi more generally suffer a Heroic BSOD as they realize that Candelios has them by the throat. He's found the Astronomicon, hidden somewhere in Mahora, and he's about to pull the plug on the Imperium's future. Original!Evangeline and Dreadnought!Chachamaru respond to Candelios's mind-war by blasting him straight in the face with a 1.21 jiggawatt twin-linked lascannon blast, effectively yanking everyone out of doom-and-gloom mode.

The Negi-gumi/Inquisitorial party then snap too: Mana blasts a chunk out of his torso, and the Inquisitor Scourges him but good—

—which only serves to piss him off more: He summons a huge pack of daemons, forcing the Negi Nakama to retreat.

The Inquisitor summons her Sanctuary, and they discuss their options. Despite some bitching from Eva, they all agree to go back to the fight and take it to Candelios.

Which they do in good order: The Inquisitor orders Hakase to launch a squadron of drone aircraft that phosphor-bomb the daemons, followed by the group's mages launching a light/lightning attack on the daemonic beasts.

The battle that follows is fierce but short: Setsuna and Mana cleave through daemons with ease, while the others either wade into the thick of things or hold back, as their proficiencies dictate. Negi defeats a horde of Flamers with quick thinking and an ingenious delayed spell combination, while the Dreadnought battles with a pack of Screamers. In the confusion, Candelios flees below the grounds, to the roots of the World Tree. The Negi-gumi break through to the subterranean level, though they become separated in the ensuing cave-in. Setsuna is unconscious, Mana, Kū Fei, and Kaede are stuck in the "well" and cut off from their friends by the cave-in, and Asuna and Eva are at loggerheads about Eva's attitude.

Now, Mana and her group are headed back to the surface with all haste to restore the wards. What will become of the other group…?

* * *

**Long Shadows Over Mahora**

* * *

**Chapter Eight: FOR MAHORA AND THE EMPEROR!**

* * *

A loud crash reached Yue and Nodoka's ears as they raced back to the dorms.

"What was _that_?" Yue exclaimed, startled out of her usual expressionless state by the sheer volume of noise. They paused in their flight and turned back to the southern plaza. Clouds of dust rose from the location where the "well" had collapsed.

"Negi-sensei!" Nodoka yelped. Yue immediately pulled out her pactio card and slapped it to her broad forehead.

"_Telepathia!_" Yue commanded, invoking the card's telepathy feature. "_Negi-sensei, can you hear me?_"

Nodoka pulled out her card too. "_Negi-sensei!_" she called, desperate.

The only thing the two girls heard was psychic static.

"Something is blocking our cards…" Yue pondered. "It could be the daemons…"

"What can we do?" Nodoka squeaked, worried.

"Hmm… Nodoka!" Yue gasped. "Your Artefact…!"

"Eh—AH!" Nodoka looked at her card. "Of course! _Adeat!_"

A magical journal popped into her hands. "_Negi-sensei…!_" she spoke—

* * *

The rumble and crumble of loose stone rang in the underground cavern. A huge rock was shoved aside, revealing Asuna and Negi, squatting beneath Ensis Exorcizans.

"Get out, twerp," she grunted, "I can't hold these rocks up all day."

Negi scrambled out before turning back to the rock-slide. "Rastel Maskil—UWAH!" he shouted as the rocks were blasted outward, revealing the wrathful form of the Inquisitor. Asuna, Konoka, and Haruna cowered in her shadow as psychic flames licked up her armour.

"A thousand deaths on that damned Candelios!" she spat. "How could I have believed that he wouldn't pull something like this? We're lucky we weren't killed…!"

The Inquisitor stomped out of the debris and over to the other rock pile. "Evangeline!" she shouted, "bestir yourself and claw your way out of there!"

A crunch, a crumble, and the Dreadnought's power claw burst out of the rock pile. In it was clutched a rock as large as the Inquisitor's head.

"I would chuck this right at your head if I had control of this tin-can," Evangeline spat from the mecha's vox.

"Shut up," the Inquisitor retorted with an exasperated sigh. "I'm just glad that you and Chachamaru are unharmed."

"Your words are most gracious, Inquisitor," Chachamaru replied, dropping the rock. Some shaking in the rock pile, a few thuds, and the Dreadnought freed itself in a shower of rocks, spinning on its hips and using both arms as battering rams, leaving a knee-high ring of stones.

"Diagnostics indicate that the Dreadnought's motive systems will come back online in approximately five minutes," Chachamaru reported.

"Not damn soon enough…" muttered the Inquisitor. "What of Setsuna?"

They all turned back to the unmoving form of the Shinmei swordswoman. "She hasn't moved yet," Konoka fretted. "And I don't think I can help her with my Artefact…"

"Shit," the Inquisitor muttered softly. She peered into the gloom. Incredibly, only the 'well' above them had collapsed in the attack; what appeared to be a long tunnel remained intact, stretching deep down into Mahora's underbelly.

"I have many curses to heap upon Candelios when I see him…" The Inquisitor looked over her shoulder at Setsuna, then turned back to the Dreadnought. "Chachamaru, which of the motive systems are affected?" the Inquisitor inquired.

A moment of silence, then—

"It appears that the circuits regulating the flow of power from the reactor, and the associated safety systems, have been damaged," reported Chachamaru. "The system is beyond its tolerance due to overheating and—"

"Good enough," the Inquisitor cut in. "Chachamaru, reroute power immediately and get moving."

"Inquisitor," began Chachamaru, "to do so would increase the risk of explosion by one hundred percent—"

"Chachamaru," the Inquisitor said softly, "I do believe that I gave you an order. Execute it. Immediately."

"Hold a moment, Chachamaru," came Eva's voice. "I don't believe that she is your Master; I am. And you, Inquisitor," Evangeline continued, an undertone of displeasure bordering on rage seeping into her commentary, "you sound almost as though you are quite willing to have us detonate just to pursue your ill-fated crusade against Candeli—"

The Inquisitor strode over to the Dreadnought and, with one almighty swipe of her lightning claws, smashed the front of the sarcophagus off its hinges. "SHUT THE HELL UP!" the Inquisitor roared into the now-suddenly-exposed interior. Both Chachamaru and Evangeline blinked in what could have only been incredulity at the sudden explosion of anger from the Inquisitor. "Did you _ever_ doubt that I would to _**whatever**_ it took to defeat Candelios? He has scourged this universe for millennia beyond counting, and my life for centuries besides. I AM AN INQUISITOR, sworn to destroy the daemon wherever it be found, using whatever means I require and deem necessary. And while you are wasting time protesting, he is tearing apart the fabric of reality—"

"Your reality—" Eva retorted.

"Reality _is_, EVA!" the Inquisitor roared. "Do you think for one second that any of his actions will somehow benefit you in the long run? Once the foundation of Mahora is destroyed, do you hope, somehow, to be free of your chains? Maybe," the Inquisitor whispered dangerously, leaning into the door, "you really mean to join Candelios?"

"BITCH!" Eva shouted back. "How dare you? I already rejected that filthy mutant sorcerer thing! He appals me! I will never be subject to one such as him! He's a nasty cretin, doing another's bidding, hoping for a cookie from his god! I serve _no one!_ I AM THE DARK EVANGEL!"

The Inquisitor straightened. "Then, be an Avenging Evangel," the Inquisitor hissed. "Get your asses in gear and get that 'tin-can' moving! I'm sure we've spent enough time arguing," the Inquisitor added in disgust, "that the Dreadnought should have motive force by now…"

"Affirmative," replied Chachamaru smartly.

"THEN MOVE, DAMMIT!" the Inquisitor bellowed. Chachamaru immediately obliged, stomping out of her erstwhile rocky prison and shambling over to the sarcophagus door, which she grasped in her power fist and fitted back to the Dreadnought's front.

Meanwhile, the Negi-gumi watched with awe and terror the scene that unfolded before them. "What are you lot staring at?" growled the Inquisitor. "We'd better be going; we have a lot of daemons to banish yet."

"What about Setchan?" asked Konoka, worried.

"Humph…" sighed the Inquisitor. "_Another_ problem…"

"It is heavily implied that I am gesturing rudely at you," came Evangeline's voice over the vox, part-deadpan, part-truculent. The Inquisitor ignored her.

"There's not much we can do. She's not fit to fight." The Inquisitor paused, thinking. "Haruna, your service has been noble, more so because you have volunteered for it. You stayed well out of our fight on the surface, and now I would allow you to stay that way. Guard Setsuna; for all she has suffered, she has earned rest."

"Leave it to me," Haruna affirmed, equally to herself, to the Inquisitor, to Konoka, and to her friends. "I'll make sure that nothing will get through to Setsuna-san while I'm still here." She stood slowly, summoning her Artefact in a low, firm voice. The usual gleeful gleam in her eye was gone, replaced by a steely determination to see one of her friends safe through the darkness. "Konoka, I promise that I won't let you down."

Konoka, too moved to reply, merely nodded and turned away, a few tears flickering on her long lashes.

"…sensei…" came a voice. Negi perked up. "_Nodoka-san?_" he wondered. "_Nodoka-san, if you can hear me, we're all right. Setsuna-san is hurt, but Haruna-san will protect her. We're going to find Candelios and stop him! Please, stay safe from the daemons._"

The Inquisitor watched the psychic exchange with a tinge of regret. She knew what would become of them, and yet…

"All right, Inquisitor-sama," Asuna said in a low voice, clutching her harisen firmly, "let's take it to this daemon-thing and show him what Mahora is all about."

"Agreed," nodded the Inquisitor, snapping back to reality. Unless they preserved their future today, they would have nothing. Each member of the party took a deep breath; then, without looking back, they strode off down the tunnel into the dark.

* * *

In a blur, Kaede and Kū Fei slowed by the entrance to Mahora's third-year dorms. Kū Fei keeled over in exhaustion, while Kaede slumped against the wall. Mana was bent nearly double, hands on her knees. Mana had ridden on Kū Fei and Kaede's backs all the way up; though the two Baka Rangers did most of the work getting out of the tunnel, Mana had to hold on for dear life as they tried to match their shundō/shunpō speed and rhythm, not to mention actually carrying someone so far.

"This one… does not think… she will be able to… go far… soon… _de gozaru_…" panted Kaede. Kū Fei did not move; though not unconscious, she was far from intelligible at the moment.

"We have to… get to someone…" Mana replied tersely, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. A rustle nearby, and she straightened in an instant, a pistol in her right hand.

"Mana-san?" Yue and Nodoka emerged timidly from the bushes around the side of the building. They had their hands raised, Nodoka still clutching _Diarem Ejus_.

"Yue-san, Hon'ya-chan…" Mana breathed a sight of relief—

A daemon burst from the bushes with a screech. The Horror leaped on Mana, who raised her pistol in what appeared to be slow motion. _I can't—!_

"Kyaaaa!" Nodoka screeched. The daemon stopped mid-bound and rounded on the librarian—

Yue whipped out a practice wand. "P-Practe Bigi Na—"

A single arrow of wind shot out of her wand and smacked into the daemon's snout. It paused in its leap, stung by the unexpected magic. Mana pulled out both pistols and unloaded more than half-a-dozen shots with vengeance against the Horror. It smoked and screamed, vanishing.

"Are you all right?" Mana yelled into the too-sudden silence.

"Thank you, Mana-san!" Nodoka squeaked. Her Artefact fizzled back into its card-form in sympathy.

"Listen to me, you two," Mana growled, "we haven't much time left. We must get to the Dean or to Takahata-sensei and reactivate the Mahora Wards. If we can cut the Daemon Prince off from the outside, his danger will be contained. Ungh…!"

Mana slumped to the ground, her whole body shaking.

"Mana-san?" Nodoka rushed to the miko's side, unsure of what to do.

"Damn…!" Mana shuddered. "I guess maybe… I couldn't keep up with those Bakas…"

Yue blinked, looking at her fellow Baka Rangers, sprawled nearby. "You were attacked?" she inquired.

"No… Shundō…" Mana muttered, wincing. Yue's eyes widened in understanding and awe. "They _carried_ you out from there?" she exclaimed.

"Yue!" Mana hissed. "Stop analyzing and get going! You need to find the magic teachers and tell them what's going on!"

"Right!" Yue quickly snapped out of her reverie. "Come on, Nodoka! We have to go!"

"O-Okay!" Nodoka rose, uncertain, looking down at Mana.

The miko sensed her worry. "Go! I'll… manage…"

"We'll send help," Yue promised. She grabbed Nodoka by the wrist. "Come on!"

"Yes!" Nodoka squeaked. "Um, Mana-san? I-I think Negi-sensei's okay…"

"The Diary…" Mana nodded once in understanding, then slumped.

"C'MON!" Yue roared, yanking Nodoka into a dead run towards the dorms.

* * *

It was a subdued procession below Mahora. Asuna and the Inquisitor walked point, ready to banish any lurking daemons. Negi and Konoka trotted behind, prepared to offer support and assistance to their comrades. For once, Negi was obeying Asuna's wishes and keeping out of the general melee; kung fu mage that he might be, he was still far too squishy to go up against daemons. Behind them, legs forward and torso rearward, clanked the Dreadnought. Though the close combat abilities and reinforced hull of the hulking mech would have been useful at point, it was still moving slowly, and so stomped along behind the group, its weapons trained into the darkness behind while the group as a whole moved into the darkness ahead.

The walls were smooth, brown-grey, with small, close-set mounds and divots alternating at near-regular intervals in the rock-face. The ceiling was low, so low that the Dreadnought, even if it was capable of moving at full speed, would have had to slow its pace so as to avoid clanking its topside against the tunnel above. Before them, the tunnel stretched apparently to infinity.

The Inquisitor raised her arm, signalling a halt. The group bunched up behind her as she turned around, taking a brief head-count. She paused when she reached the Dreadnought. A faint purple glow was leaking out from the door of the sarcophagus.

"Evangeline," voxed the Inquisitor.

The Dreadnought swiveled and opened, revealing its occupants. Chachamaru turned to check on her mistress, a faint look of what might have been concern flickering in her robotic face. Evangeline's eyes were alight with a malicious purple glow.

"Heh, heh, heh…" chuckled the loli vamp. "I warn you now, Inquisitor; you might be right about me. I'm becoming tempted by that Candelios. Are you sure you want to keep me around?" she taunted.

"I don't think I'll regret it," the Inquisitor replied quietly, without reproach, head lowered.

The glow dimmed for a moment. "Well, good for you, 'cause it's _pissing me off_!" Eva snapped. "I don't WANT to like it!"

"I know," the Inquisitor answered in a still quieter voice, tinged with what might have been regret.

"Heh, heh, heh…" the vampire chuckled again. "I can see our fate…"

The Inquisitor's head snapped up. "How far can you see?" she asked.

Evangeline smiled wickedly, showing her three-inch fangs. "Forever," she drawled.

The Inquisitor sniffed. "Fine. In practical terms?"

Eva's grin disappeared. "Candelios will soon uproot the Tree," she replied sourly. "Then, anything you do will be for naught."

"So," the Inquisitor responded, "let us act while we have time." She turned back to the front. "Continue on."

* * *

"Yue-yue, stop!" Nodoka puffed, dropping to her knees and nearly pulling Yue over backwards. "I can't… I can't…"

"Nodoka!" Yue turned and dropped down as well. "Get up!" she urged. "We have to make it back to the dorms! There are still daemons around!"

"I _can't—!_" Nodoka sobbed. Her pactio card fluttered out of her pocket and sizzled into its Artefact form. The pages whipped open, and black light seeped out of it.

Nodoka cried in terror and curled up. Yue dared take a glimpse into the dark pages.

"Ah—ah—AH! AAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Yue clamped her hands over her ears and screwed her eyes shut. "N-n-n-n-n-noooooo—!"

* * *

Mana twitched and groaned, pushing herself up on her arms. "Yue-san? Nodoka-san…?" Mana wondered aloud. She tried to rise; an arm slid itself under her own and helped her stand. Mana looked up into Kaede's face. The ninja's eyes were half-open, a sure sign that the normally unflappable Kaede was worried.

"This one also hears the cry of our friends, _de gozaru_," she replied to Mana's unspoken question. "Kū Fei-dono," she called, "we must rise, _de gozaru yo!_"

"Kū Fei want more nikuman… nya~" replied Kū Fei, still dead to the world.

"Kū Fei—_abunai!_"

A pack of nine Horrors leaped from nowhere, pouncing on the three girls. At odds of 3:1, and with their exhaustion, they stood no chance—

"_Zankūsen – Ni-no-Tachi!_" cried a man's voice, and a wave of _ki_ flew through them, striking down the daemons and slaying them.

"What the—?" Mana looked 'round, just as one last daemon—lucky to have avoided the blast—rounded on them again—

"_Raimeiken!_" A blur, a sizzle, and the daemon was bisected, torso from hindquarters. It gibbered wetly and fell, smoking, to the ground.

"What the—?" Mana repeated, turning to her left. "Eishun-sama!" she exclaimed, startled.

The head of the Shinmeiryū and the Kansai Magic Association straightened, flicking his whitewood katana before replacing it in its sheath. "Mana-san," he replied with a small bow, which she hastily returned, "you are in great trouble, it seems."

"Eishun-dono," bowed Kaede, "we must restore the Wards before—"

"Yes, Kaede-kun, I know the situation," Eishun stopped her. "I have been to see the Headmaster."

"The Headmaster…?" Mana gasped.

"Yes," replied Eishun gravely, "and I am troubled by what he has said. When he sent for us in haste… It was as though this threat had only just materialized, suddenly and unexpectedly, and yet… when I spoke with him upon our arrival, he seemed to know what would happen for awhile…"

"'Awhile'…?" Mana spluttered. "What do you mean, 'awhile'? I… I… We…"

"So it seems," Eishun affirmed, ignoring Mana's confusion. "Why he waited so long to call upon the Kansai Magic Association… But, the Shinmeiryū are here, and we are ready."

"Then, can we help Negi-sensei and—"

"Negi-sensei?" Eishun interrupted her. "What of him? Where is he? We could use the help of every mage and—"

"Negi-bōzu-tachi are below," Kaede cut in. "They are with the Inquisitor—"

"What _Inquisitor_?" Eishun retorted. "Who is that?"

"What?" Mana exclaimed. "The Dean didn't tell you about—?"

"And where is Konoka?" Eishun cut across Mana's question. Kaede and Mana looked at each other, suddenly worried. What _had_ the Dean told Eishun, and—just as importantly—what _hadn't_ he?

Eishun's face transformed into fury. "I believe that I must speak with my father," he hissed. He turned away. "You should be happy to know that your friends Nodoka-san and Yue-san were saved by my people just a few moments ago. Nodoka-san's Artefact had been tainted by some foul sorcery, but our onmyōji stopped it from clawing out their minds."

He balanced his katana at his side then, with a spring, dashed away, leaving Mana and Kaede leaning on each other in perplexity.

"Kaede… go get Kū Fei; let's get going," Mana directed, still trying to puzzle out Eishun's words.

* * *

"We are nearly there…" intoned Evangeline from within the Dreadnought. Even distorted over the vox, her voice carried the weight of prophecy… or lunacy.

True to her word, suddenly there came a faint glimmering in the distance. As they approached, it grew in its intensity until the finally came to the mouth of the tunnel.

Moving slowly, shielding their eyes with one hand while holding their weapons with the other, they emerged into—

"By the THRONE!" the Inquisitor gasped.

They had emerged into another huge well, but wholly unlike the one they fell down. This was a perfect circle, fifty metres across and a hundred tall. Forty-nine perfectly-cut stones formed the circumference, each spaced one-fiftieth the size of the circumference away from its neighbour; laid in ninety-nine rows, each row was spaced one-hundredth the height of the cavern from the row above or below. It was ethereal, combining beautiful symmetry with a strange, complementary asymmetry.

The stones themselves seemed to glow with a gentle blue-green light, as did the very air in the cavern. Tiny, twinkling lights winked in and out of sight.

However, the most striking thing in the cavern was not the perfect stones or the winking lights. In the exact centre of the cavern was a luminescent pillar. It seemed, perplexingly, to fill the entire room, and yet so thin that one might imagine it to break under the lightest strain.

_Hum, hum, hum, hum, hum, hum, hum, hum…_ chuckled a deep, dark voice; its echoes reverberated through the cavern. _"So, Inquisitor, you and your merry band have come at last. I was beginning to think you would not make it."_

"CAN-DE-LI-OS!" the Inquisitor seethed. "Show yourself, so that I might smite you in the name of the Throne!"

A ripple in the stone across from them, and the mighty bulk of Candelios shimmered into view. However, while before he had been solid, now he was ethereal.

"Hey, why is he see-through?" Asuna whispered.

"I will answer that, girl," Candelios replied, overhearing her. "You did not seriously think that I would fight you face-to-face? I am not stupid; if I destroy your precious Tree, you will have no hope and no future. Hehehe… No hope… So, I send only a small portion of my spirit to treat with you—though I would rather not think about you at all—but even this small portion," he chuckled, "this is still far more than any of you might hope to defeat."

"So _where_ is your spirit, daemon?" asked Evangeline, chuckling.

"I see that _yours_ is as sprightly as ever, little Eva," replied Candelios with a chuckle of his own. Eva's feature immediately darkened in anger.

"My spirit is of no concern to you lot," Candelios rumbled.

"Pardon me if I disagree," the Inquisitor shot back, unsheathing her lightning claws. "That you are here is bad enough, but to know your spirit is roaming beneath this Academy… Think you that I am insane enough _not_ to care?"

"You fool…" Candelios muttered softly. "Why do you always take the time to bandy words with me? If this is but a small portion of my power before you, where is the rest? What might I be doing… that you can't see?"

"DAMNATION!" roared the Inquisitor. "EVERYONE BACK!"

Negi and the others stumbled backwards, only to be blocked by the Dreadnought. "WHAT?" Eva snapped when they turned to her in perplexity. "D'you think we can just about-face as easy as you please?"

A screech echoed through the chamber. A massive avian creature rose out of the ground. In its hand it held a staff; fire misted from its eyes and mouth. Garish bright plumage—yellows, oranges, greens, purples—covered its body.

"Oh, by the Emperor…" breathed the Inquisitor, groaning in dismay, "not a Lord of Change!"

"Afraid so," Candelios chortled. "Uthramax, you remember the Inquisitor, don't you?"

"Oh, by all that is holy—!" the Inquisitor spat in disbelief. "UTHRAMAX?"

"It will be my pleasure to devour her soul," Uthramax hissed.

Candelios vanished, laugh quietly to himself, leaving the Inquisitor and her friends to their fate—

* * *

Mana, Kaede, and Kū Fei staggered down the hall to the Dean's office. They heard the sound of shouting coming from the other side of the door. Wearily, they knocked and entered without fanfare.

"—unbelievable, Father!" roared Eishun. His normally calm, cool disposition had evaporated; even his two aides were backed into a corner, away from his fury. "You actually LET Negi-kun and his friends go along with this… this future space-Inquisitor person?"

"Things are far more complicated that you understand, Eishun," replied the Dean levelly. Usually it was the Dean yelling at his son-in-law and Eishun laughing the matter off; now, the roles were reversed, though the Dean was certainly not laughing.

"Adolescents… CHILDREN, and some robot sorceress—" Eishun spat out.

"Gakuenchō-sama…" Mana interrupted, limping in, Kaede and Kū behind her.

"And what of Mana-kun and her friends?" Eishun rounded on them, pointing. "And the young girls from the library?"

"All, unfortunately, caught up in this mess," the Dean sighed. He pinched his nose and turned to look out the window.

"And why did you take so long to call on us?" Eishun pressed, turning again to his father-in-law, noting with increased anger that the Dean was now, effectively, ignoring him by turning his back. "By the gods! Your summons told us it was a situation of life-or-death, urgent, an emergency, and yet when we arrive, we find evidence that you knew about this from long before! How long, father? A day? A week? A month? Why did you not call us earlier? We are Shinmeiryū! You know our legacy! This is _what we do_! And I would have come the instant Konoka—"

"YES, KONOKA!" yelled the Dean, rounding suddenly on Eishun. The Dean's eyes, normally closed like Kaede's, flew wide open. Incredibly ancient and heavy with the Dean's long-accumulated wisdom, they fairly flamed with anger and hidden potency.

Eishun recoiled from the startling look. "F-Father…" he stammered.

"_Be silent, Eishun,"_ the Dean murmured. _"You would have run here HEADLONG if you thought that Konoka-chan was in danger. Rightly so, as a father, but wrongly so, as the head of Shinmeiryū. You must hunt your foe with cool and righteous fury, not hot, burning anger and rage._

"_As __**I**__ said, there is more to this than you realize, Eishun,"_ the Dean rumbled. _"I have not kept the truth from you out of spite, but so that you will realize that the truth will do nothing for you now. Our foe is the daemon, or demon, or akuma—whatever you wish to call it. It will destroy the Sacred Tree Bantō; it has weakened the Wards of Mahora._

"_In the Catacombs, Negi-kun and his friends fight along with the Inquisitor to save the soul of the Tree. We must put our faith in them; it is required that we do so. They fight for redemption, as well as our future. If they cannot achieve one, then the other is already lost._

"_Your duty is to restore the Wards and guard the Tree's physical form, as well as the students of Mahora. There are lurking daemons, and they may soon attack the students. That they have not done so already is a miracle, but I read the intention of our foe correctly: He wishes to crush this Inquisitor as well as Negi-kun and the others so that his plan may go on uninterrupted. You must preserve that which we have built here, Eishun."_

As the Dean spoke, hidden power welled up from within him. His frail back straightened; lines were smoothed from his face, removing years of age without removing the wisdom. A faint, crimson aura spread around him; his authority made manifest. His glare raked everyone in the room, and they shuddered.

As quickly as it appeared, the Dean's radiant power dimmed. His anger spent, the Dean slumped, and he sat down heavily. "Go," he rasped.

Eishun bowed, turned on his heel, and strode from the room, his attendants hastening to follow. The three girls approached the Dean.

"Gakuenchō-sama…" Mana began.

"Yue-kun and Nodoka-kun are well," the Dean croaked. "They are with Shizuna-sensei."

"Can we help?" Mana asked.

"Help Eishun," replied the Dean hoarsely. "Mana, you must restore the Wards. They are our last hope."

"But if Negi-bōzu does not stop the daemon—" Kaede began.

"That is beside the point," the Dean whispered. "If the daemon is not destroyed, he must be contained. Every Kyōto Shinmeiryū kenshi is here; they will give their lives in battle against the foe. We are beyond hoping to live; we must now fight to win. Go."

Fear etched into their faces, Mana, Kaede, and Kū Fei bowed hastily and fled the room.

A single tear dropped from the Dean's eye. _"Evangeline," he thought, "I pray that __the__ Inquisitor… does not fail…"_

* * *

The Dean could not know that, far beneath Mahora, Inquisitor Evangeline feared that she well might fail.

The Daemon Uthramax had conjured an illusory battle space in which to trap them before disappearing. It extended, apparently, to infinity. It was also apparently populated by an infinite number of lesser daemons.

The Inquisitor bisected one with a sweep of her claws while the others battled desperately for their lives. Negi, realizing that defence and magic alone would not be enough, took the fight to the foe. Blending his magic to kung fu, he employed his unique fighting style to protect Konoka and Asuna. The latter was also protecting the former, Ensis held at the ready to cut down any foe that ventured too close. Konoka cowered near her best friend and room-mate, shaking and frightened.

_Setchan_, Konoka implored with her mind, _I'm scared! Where are you?_

"Duck!" Asuna yelled. She swung 'round, hammering a leaping Horror. However, her attack left her vulnerable behind.

"Asuna—!" Konoka shrieked as a Horror leaped on her—

—only to be intercepted by a lightning elbow from Negi, who rushed in to save her.

"There are too many!" Asuna yelled to the Inquisitor. A row of Horrors shot a stream of pink fire at the redhead; she raised her sword to deflect it, the hellfire dispersing when it crashed against her demon-banishing blade.

"No bleeding kidding!" the Inquisitor shot back, throwing a Horror down and stabbing it to death.

The Dreadnought, meanwhile, stomped around as though berserk. It was likely that Evangeline's slipping sanity might have had something to do with it, as she could be heard cackling maniacally in the cockpit, gleefully ordering Chachamaru to charge like a drunkard. Despite their crazed rushes (or perhaps because of it), they knocked aside and ripped apart their fair share of daemons.

"Hey, daemon thing!" Eva shouted as Chachamaru crushed more daemons underfoot, "come out and play!"

A bolt shot from the sky, knocking the Dreadnought on its back, where it flailed like a flipped turtle. "Bastard!" roared the petite vamp through the vox.

Uthramax reappeared. "I'm so glad you took the time to play with my servants," hissed the Lord of Change. "Now, it's time to die."

He raised his glowing staff. "Sorry I had to disappear," he spat with what might have been a smile in his voice, "but I had to prepare for your demise. You remember my speciality, don't you, Inquisitor?"

"OH, DAMNATIOOOOOON—" the Inquisitor yelled.

"Say goodbye to your _SOULS!_" Uthramax bellowed, shaking the world around them. "AND MAY THE CORPSE-EMPEROR ROT WITH YOU! _BOLT OF CHANGE_—!"

* * *

Haruna slumped, panting. Horrors circled her, gibbering with glee. _How'd it come to this…?_ Haruna wondered.

Only a few minutes before, she had been fine. She had spent her time since her friends' disappearance to call upon reinforcements via her Artefact. She had called up a reasonable group of golems, including her stalwart _Super Inferno Aniki Mark II-X_ to be her personal guard. She also summoned hordes of little creatures of all shapes and sizes, merely to keep her company and keep her spirits up. Though maintaining them required a sizeable portion of her energy, she kept them in a low-power state, standing ready to fight if need be.

Then, Setsuna had begun to stir. Haruna had just bent down to check on the Shinmei swordswoman when a howling echoed down the tunnel. Haruna turned in disbelief and shock as a wave of Horrors charged at her.

She ordered her golems into battle, but even though her creations put up a fair accounting of the foe, they were all slain in relatively short order.

And now, she was alone, exposed, and—because of the link to her creations via the Artefact—damaged by their destruction. She could feel a darkness encroaching on her mind.

_They got me,_ she thought. _I might have been safer with the Inquisitor after all—No! I said I'd protect Setsuna-san! I swore it—!_

She rose unsteadily, quill and sketch pad clutched in her hands. Her cap and robes were tattered, but still she stood defiant.

"Come and… get it…" she forced through clenched teeth. "You don't… scare me! Even if… I like yuri better… I like… horror stories, too! Hehehe… I just… never thought… I'd be in one… But then… I guess… if I had to die living out my fantasies… maybe being the heroine… isn't so bad… Hehehehe!"

The Horrors launched themselves on her with an unholy cacophony of wails.

"PARU'S END! THE HEROINE FALLS, DEFIANT TO THE END! CRY FOR ME, ALL MY FANS!" Haruna yelled in defiance.

_WOOOOOSH!_

Dead silence.

Haruna blinked, arms still outstretched to receive the final blow. _Eh—EH?_ She flicked her head right and left, glancing around; there were no Horrors to be seen, not a one. She blinked again. She didn't _think_ she'd closed her eyes…

She turned 'round—

"O-O-O-O-O-O—" she stuttered.

A black, winged shadow, with a distinctive, lopsided ponytail, stood behind her—

With a rush, the shadow flew past Haruna in a flurry of black feathers—

* * *

"Say goodbye to your _SOULS!_" Uthramax bellowed, shaking the world around them. "AND MAY THE CORPSE-EMPEROR ROT WITH YOU! BOLT OF CHANGE—!"

"_Messatsu Zankū Zanmaken!"_ roared a voice. A surge of ki shot out, blasting through the daemonic thunderbolt and slamming back into Uthramax.

He roared in pain and anguish. "N-N-No!" he stuttered in rage. "H-How—?" The Negi-gumi looked high above.

A woman. Black wings outstretched. A lopsided ponytail. A black, shining sword in her hand. Dark blue trousers and a black shirt, open at the back and sides and slung in two pieces to cover her front. Blue, eerie lines ran down her arms and her face.

"S-S-Setchan…" Konoka sobbed, half relieved, half frightened. How had her dear Setchan come to them, and with power enough to defeat a daemon lord? And why was she all black?

"H-How…?" stammered Uthramax.

"Fool," Setsuna spoke softly, in a deep voice. "You, a Daemon of the Warp, a Lord of Change, he who can see the future and weave its threads, wonders how? I am a demon by birth. My connection to your kind is inherent in my blood. While I lay unconscious, the little imp Fur'mex came to me. He tried to seduce me, tried to plead with me, tried to take me over. _AGAIN_. I would have none of it; my _demon_ would have none of it. I squeezed the life from his spirit, and he bargained with me. In exchange for destroying Candelios—and, in the bargain, freeing the little imp—I could have Fur'mex's power, little though it was."

"BUT—FUR'MEX? That little _bug_?" Uthramax coughed out. "He has not the power to defeat us!"

"I must say, he resents that," Setsuna replied evenly. "You see, I find I can relate to Fur'mex. Being Candelios's chew-toy must have been rough. I guess he decided to help me rather than go back to being a Daemon Prince's slave. And he _is_ a daemon after all; his power unlocked my own—" she glanced down at herself, "—which appears to be substantial. And he opened a link to the Warp, so that I could pass through the realms of Tzeentch's servants." She shrugged. "Works for me."

"By the Throne…" the Inquisitor breathed. "_By the Throne, Setsuna!_ YOU HAVE DAMNED YOURSELF!"

Setsuna looked down at the Inquisitor, unfazed. "Then damned I am," Setsuna replied, with the faintest tinge of regret in her voice. "I do this not for you… I care not for you or your Imperium. You used me; you said you'd kill me. I did not resent that, but…"

Setsuna fluttered down slowly, coming to rest before Konoka, who averted her gaze. Setsuna's features—harsh in the glow of her power—softened in regret. "Kono-chan…" Setsuna spoke softly. Konoka flinched at the sound of her childhood name, but looked up again, tears in her eyes.

"'If by my death I may ensure your life, I would gladly give all that I am, all that I have, to see that you and all I hold dear are safe'," Setsuna whispered.

Uthramax wailed and exploded in a shower of sparkling light. All around, the illusory world dissolved, returning them to Mahora—

—except it was not the chamber where they had begun. This one was sizeless; in the dark, it seemed to extend forever. It had a rough feeling of squareness, but that was it.

In the centre of the room—or what they thought was the centre—was a tiny ball of light. It cast barely enough light to show the space around them, but what they glimpsed made all their hearts stir with awe.

Tree roots scaled down the walls all around; each one was thicker than a compact car at its thickest point. Dirt and leaves littered the floor. Below their feet, running away from them, small pools of liquid light wound their way towards a magnificent throne at the other end of the "room", upon which Candelios, Daemon Prince and Worthy of the Thousand Sons, sat musing.

"You defeated Uthramax…" He sighed. "I know it's cliché, but why won't you die?"

The Inquisitor stepped forward. "Cand—"

In a rush, Candelios rushed from the throne and, faster than the eye could follow, knocked the Negi-gumi apart and scattered them. They landed with heavy thuds and loud cries of pain.

"I have had enough." Candelios seemed to grow larger, suddenly huge and menacing. "I see that I cannot complete my master's work in peace, so I will have to kill you myself first." His bulky form coalesced; he appeared before them in all his power, his spirit returned to its armoured flesh. A daemon-blade appeared, screeching, in his hand. "Who wishes to die?" he bellowed. He looked down at Negi. "Ah, tasty little mage! How about you? You'll be a nice morsel for the Warp to snack on!"

His blade thundered down—

_CLANG!_ Asuna intercepted, a whir of motion as she sped using her kankahō and swinging Ensis in a blazing arc against the daemon-wrought sword, which shrieked when it hit Asuna's Magic Cancel.

"Bloody girl!" cursed Candelios.

"Hey!" Asuna retorted. "That's not nice, big mouth!"

"Perhaps not," he hissed, "but if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were blessed by the Blood God, Khorne, for your ability to block magic. I wonder what you think of that? How does that feel…?"

Negi, recovered from his shock, sped behind Candelios and launched a flurry of Magic Arrows, which hissed into his armour.

"I will swat you like flies!" roared the daemon, turning to slam his blade into Negi, but the nimble mage sped away—

* * *

Mana blasted shot after shot into the oncoming daemon horde, running dangerously low on ammunition but desperately hoping that each shot would tell.

She, as well as Kaede, Kū Fei, and many of the Shinmeiryū had fled/regrouped to the Tatsumiya Shrine, where Eishun and his followers would invoke the Mahora Wards. Some of the kenshi were roving around the shrine, stopping some of the daemons from getting close; others were patrolling around Mahora, guarding the heavily-populated areas, though most of the daemons were congregating near the shrine or near sites linked to the Sacred Tree.

As there had been no time for any pleasantries, Mana had opened the shrine to Eishun, giving him the keys and allowing him free reign to do whatever was necessary to call up the magic.

Kaede and Kū Fei, as well as six other Shinmei swordsmen, guarded the shrine's gate with Mana the rest of the Shinmeiryū chanted spells of warding, with Eishun in the middle of a circle of his followers, twelve strong.

"I implore thee, spirits of our ancestors! Rise up and defend these our children!"

The chanting climaxed as light poured out from around Eishun and his group, spiralling every wide to take in the whole of Mahora Academy.

Watching from their dorm windows, the girls of 3-A could only wonder what was happening. They muttered between themselves, offering wild theories that were in equal measures outlandish and far less crazy than they could have believed.

Makie watched from her room, leaning on Ako and Ayaka for support. She shuddered as the wards kicked in, the last of the lingering evil influence dissolving from her mind.

Kotarō watched along with Chizuru and Natsumi. He twitched as the wards went up again. _I don't wanna ever feel like that again…_ he thought to himself. _Sometimes, I really wish I was a normal human…_

Nodoka and Yue, leaning on each other in one of the infirmaries, watched the light spiral, praying that Negi and the others would be all right.

The Dean watched from his office, head bowed slightly. _"The Wards rise again… Inquisitor, do your duty. For the Throne."_

* * *

Negi and Asuna lay flung in a corner. They had come within a hairsbreadth of death more than a dozen times, but they could run no longer. Konoka had scrambled away and was hiding behind one of the huge tree roots. She was shaking from head to foot; Candelios's awesome evil presence overwhelmed her.

The Dreadnought clanked forward a step. It was battered nearly beyond recognition: scorched black, its power claw ripped away, leaking promethium.

"Daemon-spawn…" Eva spat. "I hate all you are. You scheme for your master, and he for his master, and all your little daemons for you. You're all doing another's work. You have no self-reliance. I am the Dark Evangel; I will slay you, you impetuous pretender! Chacha! Overload this tincan!"

The lascannon whined, and a single, huge burst of power tore from its barrels, ripping them to shreds. Candelios took the blast on his blade, cutting the ruby beam down the middle; the backlash tore the Dreadnought apart, flinging Eva and Chachamaru out and away.

The Inquisitor struggled to rise; Candelios's initial attack had concussed her, and consequently she could do nothing against the Daemon Prince while her allies lay dying.

"Is that ALL?" Candelios roared. "Are you beaten yet? Lie still and wait for your end; I will see to it that you all die quickly." He turned back towards the throne and began to stomp away.

_Get up._ "What?" the Inquisitor replied faintly, tilting her head to look around.

Setsuna stood close by, wings folded over her, sword-point grounded. "Setsuna," the Inquisitor snapped, "where the hell were—?"

"Quiet." Setsuna did not move.

Lights began to rise from the floor; Candelios paused, looking down in perplexity.

Konoka suddenly straightened; a great weight lifted from her shoulders. "I feel… so light…" she breathed.

Negi and Asuna helped each other to stand, also feeling some of their weariness beginning to lift. Chachamaru rose, bearing her master in her arms.

"The Wards…" breathed the Inquisitor.

"No…" Candelios turned back to them. "They…"

"They restored the Wards…" the Inquisitor finished. "You are trapped here."

Candelios could not reply. His sword dipped. Slowly, he raised a hand to his visor and lifted it up, showing them a handsome, aged, sorrowful face. "…Then, perhaps all that is left to me… is to destroy you."

"Hold fast, Daemon Prince," Setsuna commanded. Her wings spread slowly, majestically. "Why did you really want the Sacred Tree? You said it was to destroy the Imperium, but I don't believe that. At least, that's what Fur'mex thinks, and I agree. You could have destroyed it sooner, surely, with your power, but that throne…" Setsuna pointed with her nodachi. "Why were you sitting on it when we came in? Why not destroy the Tree with all your power at once, or even destroy that throne while you are here? Surely it is an object of great power."

"Are you a fool?" growled Candelios. "Do you know what the power of this Tree is? It grants wishes! It is fuelled by the power of HOPE! HOPE AND AMITION! The power of my lord Tzeentch! This is his power!"

"WHAT?" the Inquisitor cried in pain; she moved too swiftly to rise, and her injuries reasserted themselves.

"Yes… Tzeentch and the Emperor," mocked Candelios. "One in the power of Hope. That, and Ambition." He pointed to the tiny ball of light. "Such a tiny thing, and yet that is the soul of this Tree. All its power converges in this nexus." He pointed behind him, to the throne, and to the floor. "See too how the little lines of power flow to that throne… or, should I say Throne?"

"Throne? Emperor—!" the Inquisitor gasped.

"So…" Setsuna smiled slightly. "You were going to replace Tzeetnch AND the God-Emperor?"

"Yes," growled Candelios emphatically. "When I first arrived on 'Holy Terra'—" he spoke the words mockingly "—I was born into the material realm through this Tree. You recall where you met me? By the Tree! I was called through the Warp to this source of power, the source of both Tzeetnch AND the Corpse-Emperor's power! And when I realized what it was… I knew. I could be grander than both, grander than all the powers of the Warp. Imagine: Candelios, Chaos GOD OF ALL!"

"Delusional…" Setsuna turned to the Inquisitor. "Inquisitor, give me my Artefact."

The Inquisitor looked ready to protest, but then hopelessness took over. "Am I, too, to be damned…?" she asked herself. She opened a panel on her gauntlet and keyed in a sequence. The box holding Setsuna's pactio card shimmered into being in her hand.

Setsuna reached out towards it; her Artefact wakizashi burst from the box in a shower of red and black sparks and flew to her hand. Setsuna raise both hands together; both swords fused into a rod of light.

"Candelios…" Setsuna intoned. "In the name of Konoka Konoke, my Ojōsama, I pronounce you a vile spawn. You have threatened those I love, and for that, you must pay."

The light of Setsuna's shining blade intensified until the chamber was lit with it. Everyone shielded their eyes.

"Setchan!" Konoka cried. Setsuna turned slightly and smiled at her lady; for a moment, her features changed back to her old self: white wings and an angelic smile.

"YOU MOCK ME!" Candelios roared. "YOU THINK TO CHALLENGE ME, LITTLE DEMON? YOU HAVE NOT THE POWER TO DEFEAT ME! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR INSOLENCE!"

"I don't believe you," Setsuna replied softly. The blade in her hands widened. "I think you mistook one aspect of the power of the Sacred Tree. It is not the power of Hope."

"THEN WHAT IS IT?" hissed Candelios, raising his blade, charging at Setsuna. "WHAT IS MORE POWERFUL THAN CANDELIOS, WORTHY OF THE THOUSAND SONS AND LORD OF ALL?"

"Love," Setsuna stated simply.

_Candelios's features twisted in puzzlement, then—as though someone had slapped him—realization dawned on his face. His jaw slackened, as did his sword-arm. He had been wrong. The power would not be his—_

"_I HAVE BEEN TRICKED—!" he cried._

"_SHINMEIRYŪ KESSEN OUGI!" Setsuna cried, stepping off into a flying leap._

"_Vengeance for the lost…" whispered the Inquisitor._

"_Setchan—!" sobbed Konoka._

"_SHIN__・__RAI-K__Ō-KEN~!" roared Setsuna._

_A burst of white lighting erupted from Setsuna's blade; the lighting tore up Candelios's front and crashed into the ceiling above. Candelios flew back, his sword snapping in two with a wail, chunks of his armour dropping off._

_Light surged around them all, blinding them with its fury._

_When the light dimmed, the witnesses to the battle were stunned. Candelios, Daemon Prince and Worthy of the Thousand Sons, was on his knees. A hole the size of a boulder was torn from his torso, and warp energy bled from it._

_Setsuna lay facedown, unmoving, as though in sleep._

_A wave of colour surged around the tiny ball of light, forgotten in the battle. A shimmering oval opened around it._

"_What? A Warp Portal?" Candelios cried. He looked down at his erstwhile opponent, grinning evilly. "Hahahaha! Idiot bird!" he crowed, "I can call upon my Master from the Warp to come and devour your world! FOOL! VICTORY IS—!"_

"_YEA, FOR MINE EMPEROR IS WITH ME!" The Inquisitor flew from nowhere, slamming into Candelios. A golden light shimmered between them._

"_I SHALL FIND SANCTUARY UNDER HIS WINGS! HE IS THE STRENGTH OF MY ARM AND THE SHIELD OF MY MIND!" the Inquisitor shouted. Her headlong rush had sent her crashing against Candelios; the power of Sanctuary drove him back._

_He stumbled, and both Daemon and Inquisitor fell through the portal. "NO!" Candelios wailed. "Cursed witch! You will not defy—!"_

_They vanished._

* * *

_The portal snapped shut, and the light of the chamber dimmed. The tiny ball of light vanished._

_Far above, the Horrors dissolved with wails of dismay; the Shinmeiryū, as well as Mana and her friends, stopped suddenly mid-combat, straightening and looking round for their now-disappeared foes. A sudden cracking sound startled Mana; she pulled the Inquisitorial chain from under her shirt. It had broken down the middle and, even as Mana watched, it fell in two pieces to the ground, where it shattered and the dust vanished. She bowed her head. "The Emperor is my strength and my shield," she whispered, "He will defend and deliver me from the dark and the wicked, and he my grace and portion be. …You won, Inquisitor."_

* * *

"SETCHAN!"

Konoka rushed to her friend's side, turning her over.

"Setchan…?" Konoka repeated, puzzled. Before Konoka's very eyes, the blackness in Setsuna dissolved: white, angelic wings were restored, the colours of her clothes brightened, and lines of pain receded from her face. Her nodachi and wakizashi lay where she had dropped them.

Setsuna's eyes fluttered open. "Kono… chan…" she smiled tremulously, "you're safe…" She began to sob. "I'm sorry… Ojōsama… I'm sorry I put you in such terrible danger…"

"Setchan… Setchan…!" Konoka began to cry as well. "I don't care about that! You're okay, Setchan…!"

Asuna and Negi limped over to their friends, but stayed a respectable distance away. Chachamaru also approached carefully, still bearing Evangeline, who was now sleeping, exhausted.

"Kono-chan…" Setsuna's eyes fluttered. A blackness seeped out of her, and congealed above her head.

"_You are freed, demon-girl," hissed the voice that was Fur'mex. "As am I. Do not think that, because you freed me, I will be your ally again. My master's power over this world is broken, and I will go back to the Warp. Watch your back…" He vanished._

"Konoka!" Asuna snapped. "Aren't you going to heal her?"

"I, I, I—!" Konoka shuddered. "I don't know—"

"Ojōsama…" Setsuna whispered. "This time… it cannot be done. I have fought, and I have triumphed over my foe, the foe that threatened my lady… my Kono-chan…"

"But Setchan…!" Konoka wailed. "If I don't heal you, you'll—!"

"Ojōsama… this is the end," Setsuna choked out. "Maybe… it was meant to be…"

"Bitch…" Eva murmured, half-awake, "are you so willing to give up on life? I thought you lived for your precious Ojōsama?"

Setsuna smiled. "You are tired, Eva-san, so I'll forgive you for thinking that. I am to live or to die for my Ojōsama… Today, I had to die…"

A wheezing voice forced them all to start with fright, and they spun to find its source. Haruna, panting and on her last legs, stumbled into the chamber.

"Konoka-san…! Setsuna-san…!" Haruna dropped to her knees. Negi mounted his staff wearily and floated over to Haruna, comforting her.

"Konoka-san… is Setsuna-san…?" Haruna gasped.

"She's… she's…!" Konoka stammered.

"Kono-chan… Please…" Setsuna's voice became deathly quiet. "I wish to… die with a blade… in my hand…"

"Setchan… don't die…!" Konoka choked out. She scrabbled for Setsuna's sword, and pressed Yūnagi into Setsuna's left hand.

Setsuna smiled, and took Konoka's right hand in her own.

"Kono-chan…" Setsuna whispered in a paper-thin voice. "I only wish… I could see you… grow… and be… happy… I've loved—you—since—I wa—was—f—f—fi—"

Setsuna's eyes closed, and she sighed. Her hand went limp in Konoka's, and she lay still.

"S-S-S-S-SETCHA~N!" Konoka cried, her voice echoing to infinity in the chamber.

* * *

_A tiny spark of light burst into being in the centre of the chamber. It shot out other sparks which, in their turn, sparked as well. These tiny sparks of light split and multiplied until their radiance filled the whole chamber, and then they began to well up._

_The Negi-gumi found themselves lifted up, rising, rising… They floated high, high, high…_

_They stopped, and they looked around. They stood beneath the shadow of the World Tree, the Sacred Tree. Setsuna lay still, a small, contented smile on her lips. Konoka's tears had stopped; she stroked Setsuna's hand absently, as though musing when her sleepy guardian might wake. The beginnings of a smile tugged at her lips, as though some silly memory of her Setchan had popped up in her mind._

_A soft tip, tap of footsteps approached. Asuna, Negi, Konoka, and Chachamaru looked up to see the silhouette of a man approaching._

"_Who's that?" Asuna wondered aloud; her voice was both quiet and echoing._

"_Fear not, children," an old man's voice spoke, "the darkness has fled. All will be well."_

"_I don't think so…" Asuna lamented. "Setsuna is… She's…"_

"_She has suffered grievously, yes, but her sacrifice has restored the balance of this world, and for that, we are grateful. Her last wish will indeed be fulfilled."_

"_Wait…" Negi squeaked in perplexity. "What do you mean, 'we'? And how will her wish be—?"_

"_Your second question, Negi-kun, is easier to answer." The man pointed to the Tree behind them. Lit from within, it appeared to be made entirely of light. "The Sacred Tree Bantō blooms only once every 22 years, yes, and this year, it bloomed early. It granted the wish of Chao Lingshen, which became a wish for peace. Now, another wish has been made, one that forms the foundation of the strongest magic of all: love."_

"_Love?" Asuna repeated. "You mean, Setsuna's wish…?"_

"_She wished for her love to be happy," the figure replied._

"_But… How… What…?" Asuna tilted her head in confusion, and scratched it absently… with the same hand that held Ensis, barely missing giving Negi an unpleasant haircut._

"_For her wish to be fulfilled… Things must return to the way they were," the man stated._

"…_WHAT?" Asuna dropped her hand in surprise, slamming Ensis into the ground. "CAN SHE __**DO**__ THAT?"_

_The man turned away and, though the Negi-gumi could not see it, the man's wizened face broke into a mischievous smile. "Well, not normally, mind you… but we'll make an exception for this time…"_

"_WHO IS __**WE?**__" Asuna bawled. "Who are you? WHO—?"_

"_Sleep…" the man commanded._

_Asuna, mouth open to protest further, slumped gently to the ground, asleep in seconds. Negi crumpled beside her, and they unknowingly embraced in sleep._

_Konoka lay draped across Setsuna, fingers twined with that of her friend, guardian, and love. Both smiled, happy to be with each other._

_Chachamaru entered shutdown mode, cradling her master close._

* * *

"_Where am I…?" Mana wondered. The world around her had gone bright white, as far as the eye could see… which, in practical terms, was not far, since the light around her stretched to infinity._

_Mana looked around; the Shinmeiryū group had vanished. She then looked down; Kaede and Kū Fei lay sleeping at her feet. "Bakas," she thought, "sleeping on the job…"_

"_Mana-san." The silhouette of a man appeared suddenly before her. "Gokuro-sama deshita. Well done."_

"_Um… Thank you." Mana bowed, slightly confused. "Who…?"_

"_Your work has helped save mankind, and for that, __**I**__ am grateful. You discharged your duty to the Inquisiton and to the Throne admirably."_

_The man approached; Mana could not move, paralyzed with… what? Not fear… Expectation._

_The man reached out a hand to her head. "Sleep," he commanded._

_Mana dropped slowly to her knees. As she fell, she glimpsed the man's face, and sensed his power; the truth—_

"_Gak— Emp—"_

_Dark…_

* * *

_Evangeline floated in a sea of darkness; a tiny halo of light played around her. It alone kept the shadows at bay._

_What happened here, she thought, I will not forget. I will grow strong, stronger than the weaklings and the fools. They will never forget my name… EVANGELINE…!_

* * *

"Setsuna-san! Wait! You dropped this!"

Setsuna paused and turned. Negi ran up to her and handed her a small, square object: her day-planner.

"Ah! Thank you, sensei." She bowed politely, and Negi reciprocated. Setsuna flipped it open to check her day's schedule. She noted the date: Tuesday, 12 August 2003.

_Ah! I almost forgot! Konoka-ojōsama wanted to go out later!_ "Thank you very much, sensei! I would have forgotten—"

"What did you forget, Setchan?" Konoka bounded up and linked arms with Setsuna, the latter of whom became very flustered.

"A-wa, um, n-nothing, Ojōsama… I just remembered that you wanted to out later, so—!"

"Oh, I'm glad you remembered!" Konoka giggled. "Though it's not like you'd _ever_ forget to spend time with me!"

Setsuna's heart skipped a beat. "Absolutely, Ojōsama…" she replied quietly.

Negi blinked suddenly. "Sensei?" asked Setsuna, suddenly worried.

"Did you sense that?" the boy mage replied.

"…Yes…" Setsuna closed her eyes. It was weak but solid; some strange magic.

"…I feel something too…" Konoka murmured. "What is it?"

"Hey, guys! Why are you standing around?" Asuna strode up, Nodoka and Yue trailing.

"Something is wrong," Setsuna replied. "There's some magic at work…"

"I think it's…" Negi drew his staff from his back and chanted a spell. The tip pointed towards the centre of the campus.

"The World Tree!" Negi gasped.

"What on earth…?" Asuna spat. "What could be happening there?"

"Come on!" Setsuna yelled. She snapped out her wings and scooped Konoka in her arms; the latter gave a squeak of joy as Setsuna winged aloft.

"Asuna-san!" Negi hopped on his staff and sped away, leaving Asuna behind with the Library girls.

"Stupid Negi! Don't leave me behind!" she yelled after him. She looked back at Nodoka and Yue. "Sorry; try to catch up!" She clapped her hands together, and power erupted along her body as she invoked kankahō to speed away.

* * *

Setsuna alighted in the campus's southern plaza, hiding in a small copse near the terrace. She folded her wings and strode cautiously from hiding, holding only her wakizashi in her hand. Konoka crept along behind, keeping a few paces back.

Negi swooped in behind them moments later, and Asuna caught up soon after that. Together, they gathered near the balcony, crouching behind it for cover. They peered carefully over the top; the plaza was deserted, and…

"Oh!" they gasped as one.

The leaves of the World Tree were shimmering in the afternoon sunlight. Tiny sparks and streams of light flowed off of its foliage, and light welled up within.

"So, you sensed it too?" They turned, startled. The Dean watched them with a smile.

"Grandfather, what's going on?" Konoka asked.

"The World Tree is shedding the last of its magic," the Dean replied. He indicated for them to watch. "Recall how its great power bloomed this summer, just a few short weeks ago. That great well is nearly dry, and will be so for many years to come, but the last of its majesty is spilling out now; soon, it will be dormant again."

They watched for several minutes as tiny streamers of light curled off the tree's leaves.

"It's beautiful…" Konoka sighed. She cuddled close to Setsuna, who—after a moment's hesitation—tentatively took her Ojōsama's hand. Konoka giggled once and gave Setsuna's hand an appreciative squeeze.

Yue and Nodoka—who encountered Haruna on the way—also jogged up, pactio cards at the ready. When they saw no threat, and the beauty of the tree, they slowed and trotted to join their friends.

Finally, the Tree dimmed, and the magic ceased.

"It is done," the Dean spoke quietly. "The power of the Tree has ended for now."

A babble of voices suddenly broke out around them as the plaza filled with students, happy and cavorting.

"What…?" Negi looked around at the sudden crowd.

"A spell to keep the masses away," the Dean filled him in.

"It's too bad everyone couldn't see that…" Haruna sighed. "I've got to draw a story with that Tree in it…"

"That was so pretty…" Nodoka blushed.

"_Desu_," agreed Yue, sucking on a Tomato-Tuna juice box.

The Dean turned away from them. "Excuse me; I must return to my office." He paused. "Children… Grow strong. Learn from each other, and rely on each other. This is your great strength. **I** know you will do many great things…"

He paced away, head down, deep in thought. The crowd seemed to part before him as he walked, and soon he was swallowed up by the mass of happy students.

The Negi-gumi stood for awhile in companionable silence, gazing up at the World Tree in silent wonder. Each of them thought much the same thing: When would it next grant a wish? Who would experience its wonder and power?

* * *

In the shadows, Mana watched the Negi-gumi with a quirky smile on her lips. Oh, they could be an airheaded bunch sometimes, but even Mana had to admit that the glowing tree was a sight to behold. It had been worth it to start her patrol early to catch the shining tree—

"This one is humbled by such a majestic sight, _de gozaru_," Kaede said appreciatively.

"Pretty World Tree glow again, _de aru_!" Kū Fei agreed.

"I'm hungry," complained Kotarō.

—even if she had to be stuck with _these three…_

"Come on, you lot," Mana sighed, "we've got work to do."

* * *

"Makie, are you feeling well?" Ako peeked into Makie's room. Makie sat up, blushing.

"I'm feeling better, Ako, thanks," Makie replied timidly.

"You should really be more careful," Ako sighed. "Check the label before you eat food from the cafeteria; that expired sandwich could've been—"

"I know; I'm sorry," Makie apologized bashfully.

"Okay, I'll leave you be." Ako shut the door. Makie lowered her head to the pillow, and was soon asleep again, untroubled by the world or its cares.

* * *

_Evangeline brooded in the shadow of the World Tree. Chachamaru lurked behind her, present and yet tactfully removed from Eva's personal space; Eva had expressly forbidden her servant from speaking or encroaching on Eva's space or thoughts unless the gynoid detected some threat._

"_I have spent far too long in this… school-hell," she thought to herself. "I can feel it; great power, out there, in the wide world. I travelled far in my time, but look at me now: trapped in this little schoolgirl… well, school, dammit! Fifteen years!_

"_But… Soon, that will change. The great Light and the great Dark; which is the stronger? I will find out, and when I conquer both, I will be all that remains. The Dark Evangel will rise again… That, I swear. Nagi and Negi, and all your little friends, be forewarned: I am NOT nice, and you had best enjoy my alliance with you while it lasts. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday… I. Will. Be. Free._

"_Chachamaru," Eva called. The robot's head snapped up. "Come."_

"_Yes, Master," replied Chachamaru. Together, they strode away._

_Though no one could have predicted it, far sooner than they might have thought, a dread day would come when Evangeline would make good on her promises…_

* * *

_But for now, this adventure is over. New adventures are soon to begin: an adventure into a world of magic, where fate awaits Negi and his friends…_

* * *

Chapter 8: End**  
**

* * *

******LONG SHADOWS OVER MAHORA: FIN**

* * *

**Afterword:**Thank you very, very much for reading this far! Chapter 8 must be the single-longest chapter I wrote for this story. I'm sorry it's so long; I wanted to resolve as much as I could, and I felt that splitting it up might make the latter part anti-climactic.

What follows in the next chapter is an epilogue; you may stop reading here if you liked the ending, or you may read on. The next chapter is open-ended, and it leads into the next story I am planning. If you want a done-and-done ending, consider this the finale.

Please, consider reading my next story, a Warhammer 40K fic, centred around Evangeline, as well as another side story or two relating to the events of LSOM; I hope to publish them as often as my work and my life allows me to.

**Notes:**

1) The last of Setsuna's Shinmeiryū abilities:

Messatsu Zankū Zanmaken (滅殺斬空斬魔閃; "Annihilation Air and Evil-Cutting Flash"): Ougi, releases a giant blast of ki from sword to destroy the enemy. Motoko's strongest technique.

Shin Raikōken (真・雷光剣; "True Lightning Sword"): Kessen Ougi, infuses lightning energy into the sword and causes an explosion that destroys an area. Used by Setsuna in her Budōkai quarter-final battle with Evangeline (Chapter 109).

2) Why Candelios couldn't use the power of the World Tree: One of my reviewers (RokkitBoyz) commented on a hint I gave in an earlier chapter about the power of the World Tree: What could a Tzeentch daemon want with the power of LOVE? Here's my answer: Tzeentch is the Chaos God of Ambition and Hope. (His enemy god is Nurgle, God of Despair.) Candelios is fuelled by Hope for even greater conquest in the name of his god, and he had the Ambition to set himself up as not just a Daemon Prince but a Chaos God. (He IS a grand champion of Chaos, after all; you do NOT gain that position by timidity. Khorne wouldn't like that, either.)

What Candelios failed to recognize is the oft-repeated line from 1 Corinthians 13.13: "And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love." He could not love; he only loved himself (and power), and so could not understand that power must be used to protect others.

Setsuna had what it took to do that: Faith in herself, her lady, and her friends; Hope, for the future, even after her death; and Love—like faith—for her friends. With those three, she overcame the darkness, even the power of the warp, and—with help from the Inquisitor—banished Candelios back to the darkness, where his efforts were thwarted, and peace returned.


	9. Epilogue: Dark Evangel

**Long Shadows Over Mahora: Epilogue**

* * *

"Curse you for a fool, you and your thrice-damned father!"

_Slash!_ Negi dropped to his knees, bloody claw-marks gashed across his chest. Evangeline stood above him, nails dripping with his life's blood.

Negi knew he was hurt. The boy that had so many years ago idolized his hero father had grown in stature and maturity. Now twenty years old, he was a tall, handsome young man, but his smooth skin was now blemished with the deep cuts, his cloak stained red.

"M-Master…" A swift kick to his chest, courtesy of Evangeline, sent him sprawling. He coughed up blood.

"Be silent, wretch!" she barked. "How I ever put up with you… How dare you!" she shrieked.

"I don't understand…" he wheezed, clutching his chest, dribbling blood from his mouth.

She pounced on him and drove him to the ground with a backhand blow to his mouth, splitting his lip.

"You don't have to understand," she snarled. "You have betrayed me, and that is all that matters. But," she looked around, "it isn't as though all is lost…"

She gazed outward, over Negi's head, past the grounds of Mahora Academy, where she had been imprisoned these twenty-five years. Negi's father—Nagi Springfield, known as the Thousand Master—had cursed her to remain at the Academy as punishment for crimes committed long before.

"Damn you both!" she hissed, remembering that betrayal as well. "Like father, like son. I have been betrayed by both. But there is a silvered lining in all this," she mused. "I am free." She turned around again. Before her, not far, was the bridge over the Mahora River. She smiled, remembering her first fight with Negi. Her smile widened at the thought that, though last time she was defeated when Negi lured her to the bridge—forcing her to fight on his terms when the Wards kicked in—this time, it was the other way around.

"N-No…" Negi coughed, "I will not…"

"Negi-sensei!" came a voice. Setsuna flew out of nowhere, Yūnagi unsheathed and glittering in the late afternoon sun.

"_Zanma—!"_

Evangeline flew forward, spun around under Setsuna's weapon, and slammed her taloned fingers into Setsuna's belly. Setsuna let out a gurgling cry and dropped her weapon. Evangeline withdrew her hand, spun clockwise, and landed a blow with her elbow to the side of Setsuna's head with a sickening crack. The Shinmei swordswoman flew seven metres and landed with a thud, facedown.

Evangeline glided to her fallen prey. "Maybe I should break your arm; that might teach you not to lift a sword against your betters again…"

She reached down and yanked Setsuna's left arm up and around. Joints groaned in protest, and Setsuna began to scream, quietly at first, then louder as Evangeline increased the pressure.

A blast of null-magic energy nearly knocked Evangeline off her feet. She released Setsuna and whirled to face her new attacker. Asuna stood watching, Konoka nearby. Asuna's temper flared, and with it, her Magic Cancel blasted out.

"Get away from Setsuna-san," Asuna growled, "or I'll blast you to hell and back."

Evangeline glanced at the prone woman, disinterested. She made no effort to move away.

"DAMMIT, EVANGELINE!" Asuna yelled, suddenly grasping what the dark mage was up to. "You've done enough damage! Let Konoka heal Setsuna-san, or—"

"Or what, Red?" Evangeline retorted. "Her death will be on my hands? I don't mind—"

"—JOVIS TEMPESTUS FULGURIENS!"

A tempest blast hurtled towards Evangeline. She barely dodged it; as it was, the outermost rim of the shot caught her cloak, shredding it. Negi… Damned Negi, even on his knees, still had the power to call upon his wind magic.

"Fine, I'm leaving," Evangeline announced. She fingered the tattered remnants of her dress. "You owe me a new cloak, bōya."

She turned on her heel and began to stride across the bridge.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, EVANGLINE!" Asuna yelled. She made to stride forward.

"No, Asuna-san…" Negi whispered. "She is lost to us."

"But we can't let her get away!" Asuna wailed.

"We can do nothing, Asuna-san. Please, give up on her," Negi implored.

"Baka…" she replied quietly, tears forming in her eyes.

Konoka rushed to Setsuna's side and began to frantically chant, invoking her healing magic, trying to save her friend and love's life. "Setchan, don't die… Setchan…" she pleaded. Setsuna groaned; the gaping wound in her stomach began to knit itself together, and the welt on her head shrunk in size. Soon, the only evidence of her injury was the blood all over her front.

"SETCHAN!" Konoka shrieked, hugging Setsuna close. The poor Shinmei swordswoman could only groan, half in pain, half in happiness. "Ojōsama… I thank you, but… it still hurts…" she wheezed, half laughing.

Negi struggled to his feet; Asuna hurried over and helped him rise gingerly. They watched as Evangeline reached the bridge, which had so long been the extent permitted of her movement within the Campus, and made her way easily along it. A tall figure with green hair could be seen at the midpoint: the absolute farthest that Evangeline could move within the Academy's wards. Evangeline reached the figure, paused, took a breath, and stepped; nothing happened.

Quietly at first, then growing louder, they could hear Evangeline's laughter echoing across the water as she strode forward, now free of the Academy's confines, free to go wherever she pleased. Her laughter was that of one freed from prison, or one returned from the dead: pure, unadulterated joy.

* * *

The Dark Evangel was loose upon the world once again, with her faithful ministra by her side. Though the Negi-gumi did not know it, they had just witnessed the wheel of destiny set in motion. This destiny would reach out beyond the stars and change the fate of a galaxy. Though they could not remember, a tall, blonde stranger had arrived many years ago at Mahora Academy, bringing dire tidings of a great evil, and together, they had defeated it. But the price for their victory was that they would never know that it had happened; the same evil would rise again, though in a distant time and place, and they would be unprepared for it.

But that was long in the future, and the one who would ultimately face it down and defeat it was striding out of sight, laughing at the thought of so many billions who were unaware of her existence, and what she could do to them on her whims.

She knew that she would never rest, never stop. Blood would satisfy her; terror would please her. The Dark Evangel, the Undying Mage, the Magus Nosferatu: Evangeline, Vampire. She looked forward to it, for she knew the dark truth of this world:

_There is no time for peace._

_No respite._

_No forgiveness._

_There is only WAR._

* * *

**To Be Continued…**

**The Emperor Protects…**


End file.
